Secrets in History
by Alarm
Summary: A Police Officer wants nothing more then to travel the world and after finding herself in fifteenth century Italy, her dream is more then she bargained for. Trying to find a way home is far more complicated then it seems when Assassins are involved.
1. Journal of a Man

**_Secrets in History._**

_By Kaimaler_

* * *

_**Alright, I guess I should **explain myself after publishing an ACII story a little while ago. I'm replacing it, I didn't want to continue to work with it as it didn't catch the eye of many readers._

_So instead I'm publishing a story about another person without any ties to the Templar/Assassin war at all. :)_  
_I'm gonna' mess with readers minds for a little bit now, thanks for reading, I hope this gets your attention! Enjoy!_

**_Disclaimer:_**_ Er, No, I do not own Assassin's Creed I or II or even Brotherhood (which I haven't played yet D: ) but I do own Vanessa Ryder, Daniel, and the currently unnamed pet canine._

* * *

Maybe this was another day on the force; certainly didn't feel like it. Those drug dealers would get away if she didn't get back up.

Clad in a dark blue uniform, she stood back up. She wasn't injured, thankfully this outcome was a possibility predicted before she left the precinct downtown. Doesn't mean it didn't hurt like hell; kevlar saves you from a bullet, it just makes sure you _know_ it saved you by not stopping all the force of the bullet or _three_.

Tonight, she was going to go home, take off her shirt and find three massive rainbow colored bruise where she had been shot. She supposed that tonight she'd be beyond thrilled she wore kevlar, but right now she hated just about everything in existence.

She heard barking, the startling cry of an unfortunate drug dealer as he was pounced on by a German Shepard; the dog stopped one of the fleeing criminals, but the other left his friend behind to deal with this angry hound.

Correction, she hated everything _except_ her dog.

Quickly getting her senses back, she could do no more then walk hurriedly to the dog. When she saw a magnum pistol lying in front of her she knew instantly that her dog had ensured his own safety by tearing up the arm that would've killed him.

When she saw the criminal trying to push the dog off, she had to laugh. He was on his back, her dog biting and nipping at the man while he could do no more then fend off the ones to his face.

With a sharp whistle, the dog was off of him panting happily by her side. "Hands where I can see them."

The man sat up, looking for his own weapon before seeing it under her foot, a quiet curse said he knew he was done for.

As she ordered, he put his hands up; without taking her aim off the criminal, she walked to his back, took his hands and slapped cuffs around his wrists. "Remain silent, anything you do or say can be used against you in a court of law."

The man stood, cursing all the while, and she him straight out of the alley.

As soon as she reached her car she shoved the man inside the back and took her seat as the driver. Her radio was buzzing; she had to report the incident to her partner back at the precinct before she arrived.

"This is 158, Vanessa Ryder; I have a suspect in my possession." Her partner was on the other end, probably growling in agitation. "Shots fired again, Ness?" She grinned, the man in the back glaring daggers into the back of her head. "How could you tell?" She chuckled as she heard him groan.

"Alright, only one guy this time?"

She frowned playfully, "You almost sound disappointed." She could hear paper turning, "Just get back here." She laughed into the radio, her partner was somewhat stingy, but she loved working with him for that.

* * *

_Off Duty._ She'd never thought she'd be so excited about two simple words; but there they were absolute gold in her eyes.

Cops weren't allowed to take their uniform back, so she wasn't going to; but that required going all the way back downtown into that dingy precinct in order to drop off a pair of clothes.

That's about the same principle as putting all your delicates in a wash together then taking a common, old polyester shirt to the dry cleaners.

She had already been down there twice today, once to return the scumbag from earlier, and a second time to write a report on an incident she witnessed with another cop.

Instead, she decided she was going to head to the library near the precinct before turning in her uniform for the night, so she could lie to herself she was actually all the way downtown to borrow a book.

Procrastination was the best when nothing was stopping her. Her partner joined in with her a few times after a long day, but usually he'd head back sooner then she would've liked.

She was scanning through the history books. A few years ago she saw some fantastic photos from Europe as she was trying to decide if she was to go on a long vacation, where she would go. It wasn't until a friend returned from a trip to Europe and showed her pictures from Spain that Vanessa instantly knew where to go. Spain, the only place she ever got so excited about in her life.

Her friend was kind enough to copy some and give them to Vanessa; she wanted to compare the image to real life. She knew it wouldn't do the old buildings justice, but she wanted to do it.

Vanessa even kept some of her friends' photos of famous buildings around Europe. One included a massive vineyard in Italy, another of her friend pointing at the Coliseum behind her, and a few more taken in France, and Germany.

It would be a dream come true to walk the streets, experience Spain like a traveler should. She wanted to see old, crumbling buildings that had been there for a hundred years; she wanted to know its history better then Spain itself did.

She felt a tad overwhelmed when she began learning how to speak Spanish. By no means was she ever talented in speech, not even in English could she bend words to her will.

Usually, her thoughts came out like a waterfall, she just didn't know how to string words together good enough.

Trying to learn a new language was a challenge.

For now, she felt satisfied translating the written language. It was a test too though, she studied how to read and write Spanish, but she hasn't perfected it yet in two years.

That felt rather self-defeating.

Exploring the book self, a certain one caught her eye. As she pulled it out she could feel the old leather, she examined the cover, its title was in Spanish even. Flipping through the pages, she found that barely even a word of it was English, a part or to speaking about the British, but nothing else; this wasn't supposed to be here, she figured, it most likely belonged in the Spanish books sections but was stored here on accident.

Now, she had a tight grip on the old leather hide of the book. A name on the fly page; it said _Borgia_.

Vanessa blinked, she knew that name, it was the name of a Spanish pope. She was overjoyed she remembered that, she didn't know any names of other popes, just his.

_They weren't welcomed by the Italians; no one wanted a foreign pope._ She smirked, silly history, how prejudice they all were.

Taking the book under her arm she walked purposefully to the front desk and purchased her new translation challenge for the evening. She was grateful she decided to procrastinate; this book was old and no doubt had a lot of history in it.

She left to the precinct, hopeful to begin her study on this lovely little leather book she discovered. Her dog sniffed away at the new object in the car until deciding it was not a treat for him and ignored it.

Traffic wasn't bad, luckily, this late at night the only people working was the McDonalds down the street, it's competitor Burger King, the precinct itself, and maybe a few night owls driving around for one reason or another.

After arriving at the precinct she was immediately met by her partner, "Daniel, shouldn't you be home already?" She whistled her dog out of the car before closing the door behind him.

"I would've been if you weren't too busy skipping off to who knows where." _Oh boy_, Vanessa giggled. "Sorry, I got caught up." He followed her back inside with her dog joyfully sniffing the area behind them.

"You mean too busy buying books?" He slipped the leather book from under her arm. "Hey!" She cried, spinning around to try and catch it. "What is this? Another book you can't read?"

_Damn his tallness,_ She huffed as he lifted the book above his head to try and read it, Vanessa attempting to climb the thief to get it back from him. "It's in Spanish, I'm going to decode it and read it."

"Still on about learning Spanish, Ness?" He sighed, happily tossing into her waiting hands. "It's been forever since you started learning, I think you just need a tutor."

"Thanks for the input, now if you don't mind-" Vanessa opened the door to the women's locker room, "-I have to change. Bye bye, Daniel, see you tomorrow." She waved while he laughed his way mockingly out of the building.

Daniel was a good friend, she didn't admit it, but they were instant friends when she was transferred to this department. It was fun to be around him, but he loved to tease her, act bossy and demanding all the while buying her books she wanted once or twice.

_Enough of that jerk_, Vanessa cackled, _It is time for my book._

At her locker, her dog took a comfortable seat on the sitting area directly across from her while she unbuttoned her shirt. She flipped open the book to decipher its opening pages from her limited knowledge of the Spanish written language.

The first few bits were easy, but if a little shocking to uncover. It wasn't a normal _book _per say. It was a journal, an old, worn down journal from the...

Vanessa stared at the pages, it was impossible, the library would've known, checked the date even then the authenticity. Maybe it wasn't authentic? Possible, but it's torn, stained, nearly destroyed pages told Vanessa's mind otherwise.

_Fifteenth-century Spain_. If it was real, she was going to find herself a display case with an alarm system attached to it.

Reading a few intelligible sentences, Vanessa caught sight of a few sketching inside. Some to weatherworn to actually see, but near the middle of the small journal was a clear etched in picture.

In coal, there was a circle with designs patterning it, but symbols abounded, ones she hadn't a clue where they were from.

The moment she tried to read through that page, Spanish became her native tongue, Vanessa was stunned at how fast she was reading through the page; she felt as if she had been reading Spanish for decades, the words instantly became her own, she found herself speaking in a language she previously struggled with.

Even her dog was cautious of this development, so much so as to come sniffing the book.

She forgot when she began reading about _'The Apple_' or what it even was, but she became another person entirely. She could see in her minds eye an older man sitting at a desk writing this very page.

A determination was the only thing keeping her going, if this book helped her read Spanish so well, she wanted to finish it here and now, no matter how long it took.

Certain names she found had been repeated to the point of paranoia; Altair, was one and the foremost, the writings kept rounding back to focus on something this man did hundreds of years ago; his organization that was important to the author. Another was Giovanni, a much more familiar name, but when the pages went on about his attempt to assassinate the author of the said journal, Vanessa became more and more suspicious of this character.

Many other names appeared, though none as targeted as them; save for one. The descendant of this Giovanni, at first the name was lost with another, Fredrico, until finally the author wrote the name down boldly; where no one could mistake the strong feeling he had for this son of an assassin. Ezio Auditore.

Then, after following this odd family tree, she arrived back again at the picture with the circle that had patterns across it. The symbols moved on the page, transforming into a sentence along the page.

"_The Prophet will appear when the second piece is brought to the floating city. Only the Prophet may enter the Vault._"

Then, she saw nothing but a white light, so bright it blinded her completely, she heard nothing, saw nothing, and couldn't feel the locker room bench under her anymore.

It was pure weightlessness, like she was removed from the laws of gravity completely.

* * *

She awoke to noise. _When did I pass out?_ She rubbed her eyes, she was lying down, it wasn't particularly comfortable, but it had a certain familiar hardness to it. _Did Daniel come get me?_

Then, she felt a cold nose press against her forehead and travel to her nose before receiving a wet kiss from a long tongue. Scrunching her nose, she pushed herself up. Dog slobber, not the best thing to wake up to.

Using her sleeve to clean her face up, Vanessa thought she heard the distinct sound of a horse neighing, people talking, and bells ringing in the distance.

Her dog whined beside her, concerned over her wellbeing. Smiling and petting the hounds head in thanks, she earned a happy bark and the sound of a waging tail thumping against the ground.

She smelled... _dirt_. Sure enough, she looked behind her and a chestnut horse sighed in her direction. Vanessa stared at the horse for a little while, sure she had ridden a horse before, the precinct she was in beforehand had mounted police and she got a chance to be one before she moved south to Atlanta.

But there it was, a large, mature, chestnut muzzle shaking steadily as she stared at the beast.

"What the fu-" She heard a man gasp and accuse her; "What a disgrace!" He reeled back, "A woman wearing trousers? And shirtless?" She growled to herself, this man was obviously some kind of sexist, no man would have the gall to question a woman's clothing, especially one in a police uniform.

_Well, he is right about the shirtless thing..._Vanessa looked at her white, now dusty tank top. She was in the middle of hanging up her uniform when she, Vanessa furrowed her brows, fell asleep? Or was knocked out? Someone had to have taken her here, dragged, carried, drugged or otherwise.

She wasn't in the precinct.

It was becoming more and more apparent that the area she was dropped in was no where near Atlanta, she'd been everywhere; Metro Atlanta, country side, Savannah, all the way up to New York City and not a single place looked like this.

No pavement to be spoken of, horses attached to carriages, stone buildings, and... the men wore _tights._ If this situation wasn't so dire, Vanessa would've laughed at them all for wearing such ridiculous styles, but there were the Amish, they didn't accept technology as their religion wasn't too keen on the idea.

Perhaps she was dumped in an Amish village.

Then again, the people would've been so much more understanding of her attire. Amish may not allow technology into their society, which Vanessa had agreed with on some extents such as a gun, but they weren't unaware of the world around them.

These people were completely ignorant and when she stood up, they acted like she was a witch about to cast a spell on them; all jumping back away from her while she brushed off her pants and tank top.

"Uh, hi." She waved nervously, coming off more like a foreigner then her choice in clothing suggested. "I wouldn't suppose anyone could tell me where I, ah, am exactly?"

The small crowd looked between each other as friends would, each one seeming to silently debate if they should answer the pants-wearing foreigner or dismiss her as insane and walk away slowly.

Apparently, there was another option Vanessa wasn't aware of...

"You there!" A demanding voice split through the mumblings of the crowd, just as the owner of the voice parted them all. "Go home woman and dress accordingly; I will not have an indecent woman in my city!"

Vanessa huffed, "Love to pal, but I'm still trying to figure out where here is." Her dog barked his agreement beside her, then resumed panting gleefully.

The guardsmen shared glances, "Do not toy with me woman, we will escort you home since you will not go willingly."

They came forward, two on either side and one leading them out of the growing spectators. Vanessa sighed; her dog at her back acting as a trained police dog should; calmly following behind their owner who's being dragged away by the local law enforcement, the very profession she was paid for.

For the first time in her life, she couldn't stand the police.

Though her mind told her to concentrate on explaining to them she wasn't from this strange city, she couldn't help but take in the sights around her.

This clearly wasn't anywhere on the East Coast; she wasn't convinced she was still on American soil now that she got a good look around a street rather then the dirty alley she awoke in.

The city wasn't large by her standards, she lived in New York City; this town was the size of a stone age village compared to any city she'd lived in. This was including her new home in Atlanta, but somehow, this city was cleaner with all its dirty streets and old stone buildings.

There was no loud highways, no cars in sight, and not one singe of air pollution like the major cities.

Quickly, she realized this city wasn't affected by the outside world, not one bit of the technological era had etched its way into this place.

It wasn't until she saw a main square did she know exactly where she was.

She stopped, the guards halting and trying to get her attention, waving a hand in front of her face, calling out to her, even shaking her. Nothing could snap her out of her trance; it was impossible, the building directly ahead of her was in one of her friends' photos, but it was an old, worn looking building.

No one could've repaired it without a single report on the matter. The building was a landmark, a tourist attraction; any repairs would only harm its history value.

The Santa Maria Novella, shining as if it was built yesterday.

Vanessa soaked in the people, the clothing, the buildings, the stands, the guards and their swords; the conclusion she arrived at screamed in her head but she didn't want to listen.

_Fifteenth Century Florence_...!

* * *

**_Late Authors Note:_**

_So the story is fast paced at the beginning, but Vanessa's past and reason for being there will be dealt with as time goes on._

_This is also a replacement to my other ACII story, one I wasn't happy with the feedback on so I decided to make it more interesting! Bringing you this story about Vanessa Ryder; a Native American woman who's been transported back through the written words of Rodrigo Borgia and the power infused within his journal from The Staff and The Apple._

_Yes, Vanessa Ryder is a Native American, though her family history is a bit diverse, her main ancestry is just that._


	2. Old Rituals

__________

**Secrets in History.**

______

_By Kaimaler._

* * *

**_I find myself excited_**_ to write this latest chapter and to inform those who don't know about a game on Facebook called "Project Legacy" and it's based around the time of ACII and AC:B.  
It's fun, addicting, and I'm still trying to beat it. :)_

Vanessa/Daniel/Dog: YES.

Disclaimer: NO.

* * *

This was _impossible._

People paraded around in large hooped gowns as if heading off to a costume party, men wore tights with capes; perfect for a convention dedicated to superheroes.

Then there were these annoying guards, whose swords and short tempers made Vanessa want to make them her friends, at least for the time being until she found a way to escape them.

Her dog, the young male hound who acted as if nothing was wrong in the slightest, just flicked his sights side to side, once at a fish stand, another at a passing man carrying a crate.

Vanessa needed a way out, she read about how strict the city guardsmen were, they wanted the city they lived in spotless, probably for the insurance that their families were safe too.

But here she was, a twenty-eight year old woman donned in a police uniform, trying to evade guardsmen.

Time to act, they were becoming impatient.

"Woman, where is your home?" The guard growled; with his new charge just standing in the middle of the street they began to attract unwanted attention from local civilians. Something this guard was intent on not letting happen. "Answer me woman or I'll throw you in the-!"

Vanessa turned on her heel, there were three guards, one ahead of her and two to her sides, no one expected a lady to run; even one wearing the most unacceptable fashions.

The guardsman was momentarily stunned by the sudden turn in events. It was safe for a man of his position to assume that this woman traveled here and his threat to throw her in a cell was actually where she belonged.

Most likely, a woman wearing trousers ran on roof tops; this foreigner had to be a thief, which is why she was sprinting away from them now.

"Get her!"

Vanessa heard the order from behind, the guardsmen would probably catch her, but she wasn't going down without a fight. She was thankful for the rush of adrenalin, she was shot by that drug dealer three times, the kevlar saved her each time, but the rainbow bruises that decorated her torso would've stopped her dead in her tracks if she didn't feel the necessity to survive so strongly.

Best bet was to get out of the city, but to escape the city she had to find open gates.

The ones she was running towards now were not open. A massive metal grating hindered any hope of her leaving the city and loosing the guards so soon.

_There has to be a way in, so I just have to find it._ She thought rather simply while her blood pumped through her body; it was a good thing she was very fit or else the guards behind her would've caught up to her by now.

She broke their line of sight multiple times, but nothing for longer then a few seconds. She wasn't moving fast enough or making enough turns through alleyways to lose them.

The hound at her side seemed to get this message quicker then she did when he ran shortly ahead of her and turned into an alley. Not wanting to be separated from her trusty partner, she followed him into the dark alley, jumping past people, a few dropping their supplies and cursing angrily at her while she ran away.

It wasn't until she saw a carriage that Vanessa knew she must've been near an exit.

As magnificent as escaping the city was, Vanessa also understood that to survive she'd have to stay around the city, for food, water, and possibly a way home.

Leaving the tall walls of Florence was a milestone in her escape plan, but the guards weren't interested in stopping there. She needed a way to hide from them until they ceased searching for her.

Her dog was a dead giveaway to her position; she'd either have to hide him too or hope that the guards got tired and gave up. Her lungs felt like ice, if she had decided to keep running she wouldn't have much more breath left in her to move forward, it was more likely she'd have to surrender before them.

Prison wasn't a preferable hotel; she had been inside a penitentiary before. Not the best experience and she was a police woman seeing to a criminal's security within it. Then thinking about a prison in another country, one over five hundred years in the past? She couldn't be caught; she'd never be free again.

Dodging behind a building, Vanessa looked for a door inside, a box, something to hide in or behind.

Then she saw it, a huge wagon of hay just piled up twice the size of the wagon carrying it. Gulping, Vanessa hoisted her overexcited hound into the hay bale before burying herself within the golden strands.

She pulled her dog down against his wishes; he was trained to listen to her no matter what, so he calmed down in the bottom of the hay bale with her. He looked around for something notable about the chosen hiding spot, but found nothing.

Vanessa held a hand around his body and his muzzle while she covered his body with hers. She willed her breathing to calm while she heard the clanking of the guards' armor and swords.

She screwed her eyes shut and held onto her dog for dear life, willing the guards to just stop looking for her and go away.

Daring herself to look outside the bale for the guards, Vanessa stole a quick glance through the hay; seeing the guards had left, Vanessa left the bale as her dog hopped straight out of it with her, shaking off the hay stuck to his fur.

"Okay, close." She sighed and buttoned up her uniform shirt, her kevlar vest hanging limp around her waist. She looked to her only company, her dog, in hope; "Got any bright ideas, Count?" The dog panted wistfully then barked... and finally ignored her presence completely. "Yeah, me too."

Stretching, Vanessa left from behind the small building just outside Florence.

Now, she had to deal with being transported into fifteen-century Italy. _How though?_ She growled inwardly, taking a seat on a bench at the front of the building.

She remembered... reading a book. The Journal of R. Borgia, she could only assume the '_R_' stood for the first Borgia pope on account of what was written on some of the pages; Rodrigo Borgia, he was also known as The Spaniard since Italians were so displeased when he was given the position as pope.

This Borgia would be alive today, she guessed. The Santa Maria Novella was completed in fourteen-seventy, which meant that she could be anywhere between then and the next century or two.

The Santa Maria Novella was still in top condition, telling Vanessa that she must be within its heyday.

Fifteenth-century Italy, but what year? How could she know? How could she ask a random person on the street without sounding like a loon and even getting an answer?

"It's alright, Ness, you can get outta' here." She rested her head in her hands, "Just have to... have to..." _I don't even know how to get back._ She pulled her hands down her face; she needed an idea, some spark of genius to even start trying to find a solid way home.

She needed a year first, more like wanted one, but she had to ask someone, or find something specifying the date.

Standing up, Vanessa stalked on with a purpose. She either needed some kind of historic newspaper, _Yeah, that's genius alright_, she huffed, or she'll have to risk scaring the local people.

Grudgingly standing from the comfort of the wooden bench, Vanessa looked skyward, the sun was setting, and telling her it was about time for her to find shelter rather then scrounge Florence for information.

She had to do something soon, the sun was setting and she hadn't a place to sleep. As it turns out, Vanessa found herself wandering back to the hay bale; it was soft and could keep her warm, no one tended to it since she first spotted it. She needed rest, when it was bright out, she could safely resume her search.

While she watched the sun going down, Vanessa took her time to try and learn to love the sight of Florence. If she had a way to get home, she wouldn't mind being in the fifteenth-century, but since she had no money, no shelter, and no way to get food or even clean water; Vanessa felt as though she was on a leash, restricted to only admiring notable sights she passed.

However, she was going to get home and now wasn't the time to run off into the dark, hoping she could navigate her way to the back alley she woke up in.

Of course, Vanessa was certain it wasn't an _alley_ that transported her back in time.

It had to be that book, the journal of Rodrigo Borgia. She came upon the solution earlier, but now she began to wonder if the book was in the alleyway with her and could serve as her way home.

Vanessa remembered when she awoke, she saw the horse, the people, then guards, but she hadn't a chance to closely search her area for the journal. If she recalled correctly, she didn't have much time to think about anything before the guards showed up and dragged her away.

She could clearly see what had happened now that she took her time to think back.

The journal was translating itself, she wasn't doing it but her presence must've triggered something unknown within the pages. Count came up and began sniffing the book; he sensed something she was too enraptured by the contents of the book to notice. How was he dragged into the past with her?

Vanessa looked down to her overjoyed police hound. She could only guess that since she didn't actually do anything to pull them back in time that the book affected the area, yet it only took her and Count with it.

Could items be taken back with them? Or did the book need a life force to cause this massive jump to the past?

_What the hell are you thinking Ness?_She was ready to hop right back into the pile of hay after dropping her dog inside it once more. "It's just a book; it can't teleport people just because someone read it." Inside the hay bale, Vanessa snuggled up next to her trusty hound. "Something else had to have done this. Books aren't portals to history; they're just paper with ink."

* * *

Vanessa woke with a start. She quickly realized she was in a hay bale with Count half-asleep beside her.

How she wished she had just fallen asleep reading the journal in the locker room and she'd wake up to a co-worker and Daniel.

It was dark out, meaning she hadn't slept very long, but something else had woken her. It was bells ringing and people cheering wildly. Lifting herself out of the hay, Count jumping out behind her, she made her way to the gates and peered down the streets.

The noise was tremendous, something about it told Vanessa it wasn't just a festival, but a rare event the way some people joined in and other ran away.

Then, out of no where, a white horse was galloping towards Vanessa. Stunned but not bothered by the fleeing man, she stepped out of the way to let the older man pass without a problem. She stole a fleeting glance to the man, he was sweating profusely, it was clear he was frightened of something; probably whatever people were making so much noise about inside Florence.

Perhaps it wasn't a very enjoyable event after all.

Daring a trip into the city, Vanessa and Count cautiously walked deeper and deeper into the loud city hoping to cross no more guards.

The walk went smoothly until she turned a corner and found multiple bodies strewn across the bloody dirt. Shocked, she looked around quickly for whoever could have done this and found not a single person alive on the street.

Gulping, Vanessa was beginning to feel like it wasn't very safe. Again, she had a gun when they had swords, any fight that burst out she could easily win without trouble.

She left the street alone and took another to reach her destination.

After a few bodies, some people armed to the teeth with swords, arrows, and daggers who obviously slayed the guards, Vanessa managed to evade their murderous desired enough to reach a main square of Florence.

Vanessa never thought about it, she had studied history in school and did rather well. She liked learning the history of ancient civilizations and was glad she didn't live in a society like that; arranged marriages, forced classes, anything less then noble might as well have been dirt to the higher class. While one could lose rank, no one was ever allowed to gain it.

Unfair, cruel, demeaning. History wasn't known for its equality between people of all creeds.

Now Vanessa knew what year she was in, without a doubt. The stories about the Pazzi conspiracy still spread far and wide, it wasn't a secret that they hated Lorenzo de' Medici because he held Florence in his hands while they wallowed in self pity.

It was fourteen seventy-eight and this year marked the end of the Pazzi conspiracy with Francesco de' Pazzi's death by hanging on the edge of the Pallazo della Signoria.

The noise was coming from the many battle worn men who cheered at the death of Francesco atop the Pallazo della Signoria.

She wasn't very easily startled by death; she'd seen it a few times in the city that never sleeps with one of the highest crime rates known. This was butchery for the sake of it. Vanessa understood quite well what would've happened had the Pazzi's plan succeeded, but this form of hate towards even the foulest of men was unacceptable.

Yet she had no control over history, this would play out, the Pazzi name would be destroyed. She was thrilled now more then ever that she wasn't born in this time, that history had no hold over her freedom and she was still a single woman with a dog, an apartment, her own money, and her own job.

Vanessa wanted to get away from such a disgusting sight and turned around to leave the city once again. She was right beforehand, it was best not to even drag herself inside to see what the commotion was about.

At least she knew what year it was now.

Later, outside of the city, Vanessa found herself quite tired. She hadn't slept but a maybe a couple hours as it was dark and showed no signs of light just yet. With the commotion inside the city, she couldn't go back to the hay bale to sleep; it was too... unsettling to say the least.

Vanessa remained mostly unaware of the person exiting the city gates. Only after she heard a horse neigh in reply to sudden weight did she look behind her to see the cream spotted horse begin trotting off on the whim of its new rider.

She looked upward to see the white robed man begin walking past her. She watched as she looked onto him with fascination.

Something was familiar about this man, not him personally, but something on him. She wanted to know; she had to know what pulled her eyes to him.

Certain he could feel her scrutinizing gaze; Vanessa started to walk towards another horse nearby as if to feed it, or to ride it.

She _had_ to know.

It wasn't until he was close enough to her that Vanessa spotted what exactly made her feel like she had seen him before. It wasn't subtle on his robes; in fact, it was printed loud and proud all over his clothing.

A symbol adorned his red and white robes; the very same symbol Vanessa saw in Borgia's journal. It was drawn along side of many names, Giovanni, Ilario, Atlair, Ezio, Fredrico, Mario, and a few others who all seemed to relate to one another. It was that symbol that each one was connected to, though a few names were from completely different origins, she knew they were all entwined with the other.

He noticed her, she could tell. How he stopped, how he looked back at her. That told them both everything they needed to know, almost. It puzzled the man on horseback why such an oddly clothed woman was questioning him just because he was near her.

The two didn't speak, but Vanessa knew hiding her interest of the man would only make her look foolish.

She bit her lip, she wanted to speak up, ask him about Borgia, if he knew the same things Borgia did and if so; would he know of a way to return her? After all, his symbol was mentioned in the journal of a man who made it out that the men with this symbol were very important to him.

Either in spite, or love, Vanessa hadn't a clue. She just wanted to go home.

He was her ticket.

* * *

_**Okay, wow, so many reviewers. I'm so very**thrilled that I can't even begin to explain it! This story has already bypassed the ACII story it replaced by four reviews! I'm to excited to continue I can't stop writing more every moment I get the chance._

_So here's what I do for anyone who reviews:_

**_Review Replies:_**

**_flyingcrispi:_**_Hee hee, Amish. I never really thought about their beliefs a lot, but I actually can understand why they turn technology away. I mean, somethings are great; medical advances, science, how it effects civilization directly is really cool.  
Then you have weapons, armed vehicles, nuclear warfare, people fighting over fossel feuls, enviromental pollution, the death of our ecosystem.  
Thank you technology._

_In the past, we rode horses who only asked for oats, apples, water, and a rest in return for their hard work. Carriages that required no fuel and produced no unhealthy compounds into the air.  
We never had to worry about how the enviroment was fairing; we weren't doing anything to harm it, just going through life using what we had.  
Of course, now we have global communication, the best medical attention in history, and the ability to see the greatest human acheivements on this planet. We can talk to other people miles away, watch events that happened years ago before our eyes._

_It's a double-bladed sword. Useful, nice, but dangerous and deadly when used for greed. I'm not Amish, duh, but it is something to think about in life._

_Anyways, thanks for your review. Bet you weren't expecting me to go all serious down on you, huh? :D  
I'm a random person, I just love being bipolar. I'm glad you've enjoyed the first chapter! I hope this one is just as good, if not, better!_

**_Mazzax:_**_ Count, as I have decided to call him, was not "interacting", so to speak, with the journal. But then again, who said you had to be _reading_ it to be thrown into the past? I wish real books did that, I would be scanning through books right now if that were possible. :P  
I'll explain as time goes on, of course, it's more interesting that way, isn't it? I thought so.  
I've planned a decent explanation as to why Vanessa's been tossed like a rag doll into 1478. I think it's a very good detailed reason, but some times people don't feel the same._

_I'm not going to lie, it'll be a secret to... near the end of this story, but you'll either guess it yourself or wait until Vanessa learns so you can too. In any case, I am very glad you're enjoying the story, it's been so fun to create that I just had to publish it before the idea escaped me._

**_Mignight Lullabye:_**_ Yes, I figure if your a police you have to have a "take no shit" attitude or else a lot of questionable folk will use your good heart to their advantage. Vanessa's a tough gal, but not a feminist who acts like a man. She's just "Vanessa" and no one can talk her out of being a hard woman to talk to._

_Oh yeah, she'll be... colorful later on. :)_

_I look forward to dropping cliffhangers your way, I plan on doing it a lot because I'm an evil author who loves to torture her readers. For now, I'm happy knowing people like my ACII story so much that I have five reviews on the very first chapter.  
I was so amazed I had to hurry up and write this one._

**_Kudomeya:_**_ Well then, if there's anything you need to help you understand the story better (characters, assassinations, places, years, etc) then ask away. I know about all there is to know on Assassin's Creed, both the first and it's sequel. Though I'm yet to play Brotherhood, I do know what it entails as to how the story progresses._

_I do suppose it'd be best if you know what The Apple, The Staff, and The Vault is seeings how those three control the story and Vanessa. Mostly. :)  
I love your reviews! I love that you like my story, in time I hope you like it more and more! :D_

**_crystalfeathers:_**_ ;D_


	3. Assassins and Templars?

__________

**Secrets in History.**

______

_By Kaimaler._

* * *

_Disclaimer: I wish, but if I wish too hard, Ubisoft may just sue me. :O_

* * *

"Who are you?" His accent was a rich Italian, something Vanessa was speaking fluently, but without previous training of any sort. The result of her transportation into the past was quite alarming along with the new tricks she's learned unexpectedly.

Naturally though, nothing was more stunning then actually being in the _past_.

"Officer Vanessa Ryder." _Damn it, don't alarm him Ness!_ She cursed at herself, she is a police officer so it wasn't a lie; just not something to say when you're introducing yourself to a man whose entire body is covered in weapons. No a good thing to say at all.

He seemed to do exactly as she predicted. He stiffened, approached her more cautiously then he would've if she just gave her name. "Officer? You are a guard?" He didn't sound convinced, hopefully he believed her to simply be defending herself against an unknown. That would make life easier; if he suspected she was a helpless damsel that is.

"I didn't catch your name." She stated before he could continue on the matter. With a nod, the man swiftly took in her form. She wore odd dark blue clothing, no Templar pendants or markings, she wore a heavy looking belt with various accessories that he hadn't a clue what they were for. They could be weapons; he'd have to play it carefully.

"Ezio Auditore da Firenze." Vanessa knew instantly. Borgia wrote about him, mentioned his name time and time again. Maybe Borgia had kinship with this man? Didn't matter now, he would not be pope for quite some time. "You didn't answer my question, bella; are you a guard?"

With a smile, she just shook her head. "I'm a police officer, or guard as you call us, from a long ways away. Here, I'm just another traveler." She answered; he looked satisfied with it, no signs of distrust.

"What are you doing in Firenze if your duty is elsewhere?" He wouldn't admit it right now, maybe never, but the thought of a woman as a guard? It confused even him; he was sure his family would think the same. Telling her directly could cause trouble though; it may just make her mad if he even insinuated it.

That was a fair question. She hissed, she hadn't thought of a good answer for that one. "On accident." She slumped over, petting the horse beside her. It wasn't the most descriptive answer, but then again, she hardly knew the man. He could be a wanted criminal for all she knew.

Vanessa looked at his torso and waist. Glistening in the moonlight with pride were numerous exceptional conditioned daggers, some clearly used recently as they had blood on their tips. Now that Vanessa looked closer at his attire, she could see blood that stained his gloves and robe; he was rather clean save for a few blood splatters on the white robes.

Though the blood did blend quite wonderfully with the red belt around the trim and belt of his clothes.

The two shared a questioned look before he decided he'd spent enough time with the foreigner. She wore strange clothes, claimed to be a female guard, her accent was like nothing he'd ever heard before; of course she wasn't Italian, he'd be surprised if she was English, she didn't seem to be and last time he checked there were guards in Brittan too, not police officers.

"Well, it is time for us to part." He looked onward to the Florentine limits, "I should be on my way back now; it would be a pleasure to see you again; until then, farewell."

_Say something, anything, he may know a way home! Or at least know what happened, he was in the journal; it's your only shot!_ Vanessa's mind screamed at her to say something, anything at all. "Could I join you?" _Oh, great choice idiot. Now you sound like a crazy person._ She closed her eyes, momentarily astounded by her bluntness.

Even Ezio looked a bit taken back by it. "I said I got here by accident and by 'accident' I mean that I just woke up in some back alley in Florence. I've been here a day from what I know and unfortunately, this is my first time in Italy." She sighed, knowing how ridiculous she sounded right now. "I haven't a clue how to get home."

He pointed to the paths out of the city limits. "There are boats far west and you can always-" She stopped him there by shaking her head, he caught the drift and settled, he didn't understand; how could he? She was being too vague.

_Maybe I shouldn't tell him, he'd think I was crazy._ That was a better idea then blurting out the truth in hopes he'd believe it and everything would go back to normal. _Can I prove it to him? How? I don't know anything about him aside from others in Borgia's journal, I can't give him verbal proof and I still don't know where the journal is._

"I know you're trying to help out there; I know where I am, when I am, but..." She stumbled; she had no way to give him a reason to believe her outlandish tale of time traveling. Could she tell him people from the future perfected the art of time traveling and could do so as they pleased?

_That_ was insane.

Then again, she'd believe it if someone from the future suddenly appeared in front of her saying they knew time travel like the back of their hand. _But I'd want proof, of which I have none._

"But what?" He urged her on; did she not want to return? Was this more personal? What was she trying so hard to tell him?... Maybe she was trying to escape something, was he her way out of an arranged marriage? He had heard of many women seeking to find a way out of marriages their parents force on them.

She was too different, he didn't know her culture. Did her people even have arranged marriages? He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't have time to register what she was saying to him.

"I can't tell you how or why I'm here. I don't know myself." She ground her teeth, he foot tapping impatiently on the ground. "All I know is that I reading a book, a very, very old book, and then there was this bright white light and I couldn't see anything anymore. Next thing I know I'm waking up in Florence in some alley."

"I don't see how I can help you if a boat or a carriage cannot take you home." He suspected she was withholding something, though he knew it wasn't his place to pry.

"Because that symbol on your robes I've seen before, in that very book I was reading. There were names, a lot of names, but some had that symbol next to them..." His eyes narrowed dangerously, she saw it; she needed to choose her words carefully from here. He was in his right place to silence someone from spreading the presence of an assassin.

But, did she know he was an assassin? She didn't act like it, if she did, wouldn't she have mentioned it? He needed to see where she was going before assuming anything. Too much had happened so far for him, to his family, for him to just let a person go so willingly.

"Listen, Ezio, I don't know where else to go." She gave up trying to explain it; she needed to try another approach. "I can't get home because, in Italy, where I live doesn't exist on your maps. When I said I was from a long ways away, I mean the land I'm from is across the ocean; where I know just about nobody here has ever been."

"How can you be so sure?" A boat, she needed a boat ride. Was it florins she needed? "Have you asked every ship captain? You said you've only been here a day." He started to deny her statements; to him it was obvious that she didn't know much about Italy.

"America." She said her face straight and without a pinch of emotion. Ezio was sure she was trying to say something, she just said it in her language; wherever she's from.

"I'm sorry?" He grinned, this woman was either unstable or... something else Ezio couldn't pin. "I didn't understand that."

"America, that's the name of the country I'm from." She crossed her arms, "It's across the ocean, and Italians haven't even set foot on it yet, much less heard its name."

Ezio was surprised. He hadn't heard of 'America' before, but not even knowing about a country isn't in the best interest of any political government. Of course, Ezio knew some geography, but he didn't dwell on it so, he had much more work tending to the errands his father gave him.

Even if this place existed (which it's a possibility it didn't) Ezio wouldn't know of it. He was learning to be a banker, for a while before his sudden _change_ in careers.

Then, he was interrupted by an exhausted sigh coming from the woman. "You know what, never mind. Its fine, go on and do whatever. I thought I had a hunch that you'd know how to get me home, but you don't so I can see I was wrong. I'm sorry about bothering you." She turned and began to walk away.

_She is homeless,_ Ezio's mind wandered, _She asked for help, I was willing to give it, but this tale! What a tale it is, how can I believe such nonsense?_ He fought to catch her and to leave. She would disappear; he'd probably never see her again.

He had business to attend to.

_Just help her, maybe she is telling the truth, that 'America' exists and we don't know about it._ He resisted rolling his eyes, _What if she wasn't lying about trying to get home? About seeing the Assassin's symbol in a book?... with names?_ Ezio about hit himself for not paying closer attention to what the woman was saying.

She read a book with names in it and the assassin symbol marked certain ones. Was there a list of assassins out there? His uncle would never forgive him if she got away from him; with a list of assassins the Templars could destroy everything his father strived to achieve.

A list of assassins? His father's name would be ruined if he was known as an assassin. His uncle would be hunted, his men slaughtered, his mother and sister in danger yet again.

Now he needed her.

"Wait!" He called out; she was down the road a little ways heading back towards Florence as he turned his horse around and trotted up behind her. "Wait."

She heard him and stopped to see him waving her down brought a little hope back to her. "Yeah?" Count barked to Ezio, even her dog seemed happier that Ezio was trying to get their attention.

"I can take you somewhere safe, for rest, and maybe I can help you find a way to your home." He didn't know how, but she felt better knowing he was going to try. If she could actually trust him, she was more then happy to ride along with him until she reaches a conclusion. "There is a villa that will keep us safe for the time being." He waved her along, once more facing the exit of Florentine city limits.

She smiled, "Thanks." Ezio shrugged carelessly, "I cannot simply let a bella donna like yourself wander the streets alone at night. I couldn't live with myself."

Vanessa almost burst out laughing, she felt in a better mood now that she'd have a place to stay. "Ah, a killer and a charmer? What a dangerously thrilling combination."

Ezio, puffed with pride, brought his horse along side the horse she chose. "What can I say? I'm hopeless." Vanessa remembered how to ride a horse, she was just rusty. Swinging her leg over the horses' back, she settled herself on the saddle and until she felt ready, she made the horse walk along, so Count could keep up without tiring himself.

"Lead the way, handsome." She started this, she knew that, but messing with the man was too much fun to pass up. His egotistical expression as she mockingly complimented him was cute in her eyes; men of the past used old tricks, but they were sweet in their own corny way.

* * *

After hours of riding, they arrived at another walled in city. This time, Vanessa took note that she could see the ends of the walls; this city wasn't near as big as Florence.

"This is it, this is Monteriggioni." He introduced, riding ahead of Vanessa. "Where you'll be staying until we can find a way to get you home." He smiled, speaking in almost a sarcastic way.

She wasn't going to comment on his tone, he was giving her a place to stay so she hadn't a thing to say anyways.

Vanessa had street smart, she could survive in a dangerous city; it's the '_no way home_' that's bothering her. She needed a place to stay, for a little while, before she returned to Florence to see if that book was still there. She was painfully aware that if it was, the longer she was away; the likelihood of someone picking it up out of interest grew.

That wasn't too important now though, she needed rest. It was late, the hanging of Francesco made her sick, and that was all she could bear before she had to pass out for the night.

As they neared the gates, Ezio dismounted first, pulling his horse into an open stable while Vanessa just walked up. About to dismount too, Vanessa looked and saw Ezio beside her horse, offering a hand to help her down.

Huffing, Vanessa swung her leg over the back of the horse and pulled her shoe out of the stirrup before looking at Ezio. "Ready, lover boy?"

That didn't have the same meaning in fifteenth-century Italy, Vanessa knew that well enough. The word '_lover_' wasn't thrown around so carelessly here, but she didn't worry about it at all. She wasn't from here, she's from the future.

Holding his arm out, like a gentleman would, Ezio expected her to accept. He didn't know her for long, but it was proper for a man to do such... and proper for a lady.

Ezio blinked, staring at Vanessa's figure as she just walked past him. Then again, she wasn't a lady per say.

Accepting her denial, Ezio jogged to catch up with her just as she entered the archway. "This is my uncle's; I just help here or there." He stated, watching her, once more, scrutinize every inch of the small town inside the Villa's walls.

As she rounded a corner, the main street to the Villa manor was practically paved with stores. Doctors, tailors, blacksmiths, merchants of all kinds, art dealers, and even a bank at the Villa steps.

It would be impressive had the street not been half made out of mud and puddles of dirty water. If the stores looked like they actually carried something valuable instead of secondhand junk. The art dealer was trying extremely hard to make sure no outside grime damaged his paintings while the doctor looked like a wanted sociopath in his dark building with barely even an opening to trade through.

Had Vanessa lived here, she'd travel all the way to Florence just to get supplies. The blacksmith looked like he dealt in old, worn out toys.

This wasn't a very sanitary place, that's for sure.

Ezio noticed her disapproving grimace as she passed by different buildings and dodged muddy pools on the ground. He'd even admit Monteriggioni wasn't in the best of shape, but she looked at it like it was a wounded dog.

Even her dog avoided more questionable places.

"Ah~" He returned to her side, "I know, it isn't in the best of shape currently, but I am working to better it." He sighed happily, imagining the new Monteriggioni with updated buildings, a brothel, a guild, to make it a Villa suitable for his mother and sister, suitable for the hideout of a known assassin. "Soon, it will be beautiful."

Vanessa disagreed. "I'll believe that when I see it."

Climbing up the first staircase, Vanessa stopped and looked up towards the moss covered fountain. "That's the symbol. Why would you put that there?" She pointed up to it, "What do you mean?" Ezio was on his way up the second staircase as Vanessa walked up behind him.

"I mean, why would you put that there? Is it a family crest? An organization's logo? What the hell is it?" She didn't know one ounce of this mans' life. She was going to pry, she wanted to go home, right now, and he was her second best bet, counting that the book may possibly be in the alleyway in Florence.

"You do not know?" He tilted his head slightly; she was just talking about the symbol of the assassins earlier. Then again, she never actually said anything about him or his father being an assassin, she just mentioned the symbol was in a book she was reading before she arrived in Florence.

Vanessa felt like smacking him on the head, "If someone asks a question, Ezio that usually means they don't know the answer."

He smirked; she wasn't one for a calm discussion apparently. "Then perhaps it is best it stay that way." Vanessa gawked, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Reaching the top, the two began walking to the Villa entrance. Vanessa saw the manor from a distance and thought that it must've been better then the rest of the city.

But no, it kept the broken, dirty, overgrown theme alive and well.

"It means signoria, that it may be best if you do not know my profession; as it is quite dangerous." Vanessa could easily see he was treating her like he would a damsel in distress; but then again, it was her plan to seem as such, wasn't it? She growled, "Sure, fine, I don't care. If your profession is so dangerous, I guess when I'm attacked by whomever your enemies are that I'll just have to take care of myself."

Ezio stopped a moment. She was right there, if the Templars discovered her acquaintanceship with an assassin, professional or just a friend, they'd do whatever they could to kill her. Or capture her and use as leverage, but if she tells them about the book with the names of his ancestry; his father, and his father before him, then they'd destroy his name and know exactly where to strike.

Now she was a liability again.

"Inside." He mumbled, dragging Vanessa into the manor.

She got to look at the inside of the Villa manor, it was different then the outside that was for sure. It was marble and stained glass, windows were still dirty and some barricaded with wood; but aside from those minor disturbances, the inside was fairly well preserved. There were a few cracks in the flooring, stains here or there, and of course, the magnificent chandelier hanging of the center of the ceiling.

She could live with this.

Ezio was disappearing into a hallway off to the right, as Vanessa ran up behind him; he turned into another room with Vanessa close behind and Count taking his time to explore the space.

Once in the room, Vanessa heard the sound of another man greeting Ezio. "Ah, nipote!" The two embraced shortly, "I await word, was your mission successful?"

Ezio nodded, "Yes uncle, but I'm afraid that will have to wait." He turned out of his uncle's sight to reveal Vanessa standing in the doorway with Count panting blissfully as she pets him. "I found this woman outside Florence; she recognized the assassin mark and approached me."

"Assassin." Vanessa tried the word, "So that's what you are." She was an officer of the law, one dedicated to putting murderers in prison. She wasn't in her land though, without jurisdiction, she had no effect over the assassins. Even though she despised any kind of killings; good intentions or not.

"Some are familiar with assassins, nipote. She's just one of them." Ezio's uncle seemed uncaring about her knowledge, Ezio predicted that. Courtesans, doctors, criers, and various others knew about the existence of a guild of assassins; just not what they were actually there for. "Why bring her here?"

"She claims to know about a book which contents have a list of assassins." Now his uncle looked interested, "She also claims that she was reading it just before she fell unconscious and then awoke in the streets of Florence without any memory of how she arrived."

"Hey, I remember clearly what happened beforehand." She stalked up to Ezio, "I was in the locker room hanging up my uniform for the day when all of a sudden there was a light, I couldn't see anything, and then I past out. When I come to, I was in an alley in Florence."

Ezio's uncle seemed a bit more confused then Ezio did when she told him the story, but in a sense that he was beginning to think his nephew brought home a crazy woman.

"Before we go any further, madonna. I am Mario Auditore." He bowed; manners were very important in history, either because it was polite or made them look better. Vanessa couldn't assume all the people were kindhearted individuals from heaven; she had to play a suspicious role now, the damsel act was sure to get her into trouble around assassins.

_I know that name! His name was in the journal!_ She stared for a moment, it was rude, but she couldn't help it. These people, was she going to meet them all?

"I'm Vanessa Ryder." Unlike Ezio's uncle, Mario, she stuck to the common way to meet people from the twenty-first century. He was taken back by it for a moment, a man usually kissed a woman's hand upon meeting, she seemed far too different for that. "Nice to meet you, Mister Auditore."

Doesn't mean she was going to be more polite to someone who is older then her rather then the younger man standing next to her. He rose and instead shook her hand. "Just Mario, please." She acknowledged, "My friends call me Ness." He released her hand and smiled, a polite woman; if a bit _off_.

Ezio no doubt caught how much nicer she was being to Mario then him. She wasn't mean to him in the first place, but she didn't show the same manners to Ezio as she did to his uncle.

"So, a book?" He questioned the foreigner; she simply rubbed the back of her neck. "Yeah, I was on my way back to the precinct when I stopped at a library to look for a new book; when I found it, I bought it, took it to the precinct with me and began reading it."

She caught the looks both relatives gave her. Family in crime, she sighed. "Precinct. Like, guard barracks where I'd hang up my uniform and go home for the night." She explained, "Ah." The two replied unanimously, they didn't want to stop her there.

"Well, I've always wanted to travel to Spain and I've saving up for the trip for some time now, so I picked up a book in Spanish so I could learn the written language better." She shifted on her feet, she wanted to know more then she did about the book, but there wasn't much she could do about that now.

"So when I went to the locker room I spent some time trying to read through it. One thing led to another and, I don't how, but it was like I could speak Spanish fluently, I felt pretty happy about that until..." She trailed, saying a bright light blinded her and she appeared in fifteenth-century Florence. "There were a lot of names, some baring your symbol and others with a cross."

Ezio frowned; she didn't mention the crosses before. All it is was a Templar symbol, but perhaps there was a list of Templars with the list of Assassins too.

"What were these names?" Mario wasn't going to flatter her haplessly like Ezio insisted upon, she decided she like Mario more now.

"Well, your name; Mario Auditore. Ezio Auditore too." She pointed between the two, "Then some man named Giovanni, Altair... She wanted to remember every name, so she took her time scanning through the memorized names in her head. "Ilario, and... a few others that I've forgotten."

The two stood in silence, making Vanessa feel rather uncomfortable. Mario and Ezio looked to each other, "It is a good thing you brought her here nipote. Had they found out about her, she would've told them all they needed to know."

"What about the Templar names?" Ezio asked her, he seemed determined about the topic.

Vanessa blinked. "Templars?" She chuckled, "Templars! You've got to be kidding me!" She laughed loudly. It was all fiction, Templars don't exist anymore, they're all gone in her time. There was superstition that they secretly existed within modern society, but nothing more then a paranoid man babbling on about nonsensical things.

The two relatives looked very serious on the matter. Ezio wanted to know, Mario supported him, and with them as her only flicker of hope; she needed to answer.

"Oh, you're not." She bit her lip. There were more names with crosses beside them, she just needed to remember. "Vieri, Carlo, Tamir, Robert. That's all I can remember as far as names go, the rest of the book... I can't remember it all; I'd give it to you if I had it."

"You do not have it?" Mario was obviously concerned. "Do you know where it is?"

Vanessa shrugged, "Not sure, maybe it's back at the precinct or when I woke up in that alley, I didn't get a chance to look around before the guards came to get me. It may be still in the alley; I just didn't notice."

"Nipote-" Ezio understood before his uncle even spoke up. "I know uncle; we must get that book before someone else does." Mario grinned and patted Ezio on the back. "I'm sure you can do it, Ezio."

"Thank you uncle, I'll leave for Firenze tomorrow, I need my rest now." Mario turned his attention back to Vanessa, "But that wasn't the only thing I was going to say."

Ezio dismissed his own eagerness to sleep and listened to his uncle. "I was going say that you need to take her to Firenze to find the book." He smiled, chuckling at his nephew's shock.

"I cannot take her with me; just being near me would be too dangerous!" He exclaimed, pleading with his uncle. Vanessa just sat on the sidelines and watched the two relatives argue. "Only she knows the alley nipote, you'd never find it without her anyways."

Ezio crumbled, "She'll slow me down."

Vanessa let out a bark of laughter, "Slow you down? No, I don't think so. I'm a police officer; my job is to catch runaways. It'll be easy keeping up with you, assassin or not."

Mario smiled brightly, "See? She won't bother you Ezio, she's a..." Mario glanced to her; police was the same as guard. "... A guard, she'll be fine."

"If you don't mind, I'd love to know where I'll be sleeping." Vanessa chimed in, wanting to separate the two before Ezio tried a whole new set of excuses not to bring her along. "I'd hope to see you before we leave Mario, if not, I'll be expecting you when we get back."

He looked down at her hound, he had noticed the dog beforehand, but hadn't had the hound sniffing at his boots. "Don't worry; I will see you both off in the morning to make sure Ezio doesn't try to leave without you."

Ezio was pouting a bit to himself, but he wouldn't mind Vanessa's company so long as she didn't prove herself a threat to his work. He argued to himself that they'd only be going to Florence then return with or possibly without the book in possession. She'd be fine, he'd be fine, and with luck he could even have time to stop at Leonardo's and have him decode a codex he found recently.

"Alright uncle." He yawned, "We should rest before our return to Firenze. Goodnight uncle." Mario turned back to his desk, 'Goodnight Ezio, Vanessa."

With that, the two left. Vanessa could assume assassins weren't the bad guys... so far at least. She still didn't know anything about the Templars; but still relied on what she learned in school.

Templar's don't exist anymore.

* * *

**_Review Replies:_**

**_flyingcrispi: _**_Bet you didn't expect me to update so soon, eh? :D  
I update quicker with new stories so as to attract more readers. If people see it has 'x' number of chapters, was published recently and updates frequently, suddenly, I get a flood of new readers! Yay!_

**_crystalfeathers:_**_ Ezio happened!  
I'm not sure what I want to do between Ezio and Vanessa; a best friendship, a romance? What? Not sure, if people want that, I'll offer it, but for now it's all one big question mark to me._

_Count is awesome, he's a supremely trained German Shepard; part of Vanessa's position as a K-9 unit in Atlanta, previously New York City. I'll be adding some more drama to the mix, but we get to meet Leonardo soon! And, since he's ultra-famous and such in modern day, it'll actually make her story more believable to our lovable assassins. Think about it, some time she'd gotta' tell them she's from the future, so someday she'll have to prove it._

_Leonardo is a famous polymath, the most famous one in fact. He's just so awesomesause that no one can control the level of awesome he radiates._

_Is it easy to tell Leo was my favorite character in ACII?_


	4. Firenze

__________

**Secrets in History.**

______

_By Kaimaler._

* * *

_Disclaimer: In another universe? Maybe. Here? Now? No, nope, no way no how, dreams don't come true.  
However, Vanessa, Daniel, and Count are my works. So is Rodrigo's journal, but hey, who knows, maybe he did have a journal?_

* * *

Morning came painstakingly slowly, Vanessa forgot where and when she was again before checking out her new bedroom accommodations. It was a small room away from the others, but it was nice just as it was.

Count slept on the opposite side of the queen sized bed, just beside her. He always took the foot of her bed back home, it was an interesting sight for her to wake up and see a pile of fur next to her. Giggling tiredly, Vanessa reluctantly rose from the comfortable, inviting bed and turned to the nightstand holding her clothes.

Sliding on her pants, Vanessa took notice of a dress with all accessories nearby and a note had been set on top of it.

Buttoning her pants and grabbing her tank top, Vanessa approached the decorated dress. She scoffed at it before taking the note.

"_Madonna Vanessa,_

_I took the liberty of finding proper attire for our trip to Firenze, I am unsure if it will fit well, and if not I shall have it tailored to suit you after our return. I look forward to seeing how the dress fits you._

_Ezio._"

Vanessa, looked miserably upon the dress, set the note back on it and turned to get dressed in her uniform. Technically, it'd still be a work day; this was '_proper attire._'

As Count yawned and stretched, Vanessa raised her arms to put on her tank top, but stopped midway, gasping in pain. She used the bed to balance herself while trying to understand why it hurt to move her torso and nothing else.

Looking down at her chest, her front bore the massive rainbow bruises she was afraid of from the previous work day.

Sighing, she knew getting dressed was going to be a real challenge. Much less if guards decide they don't like her or Ezio in Florence, running won't be a problem, but anything from the waist up will prove difficult and that was an understatement.

Her kevlar vest rested on the footboard of the bed, it was the first thing she took off before she went to bed.

Groaning, Vanessa slowly and carefully began to slip into her tank top, shuffling the cotton shirt on until she tucked it into her pants and pulled her over shirt on her arms, leaving it open for the time being. She was going to exhaust herself before she even left if she had to keep putting things on.

She ran her fingers through her hair as a makeshift brush and pulled it back up into a messy, open ended bun.

The final touch was her shoes, tying the laces in a secure knot; she left the bedroom, cautious of her new injuries.

Taking it easy down the steps, she lovingly admired the marble floors, staircase, railings, and the expensive decor. It was a true marvel to be inside such an ancient building when it was new.

Or somewhat new counting the broken windows, overgrown plants, and aging external walls.

Making her way through the main room, Vanessa patted Count's back in appreciation. Of what? He didn't know, he just like it. The two made their way back to the same room Ezio had led them to when they met his uncle, Mario.

Vanessa ran her hand along the smooth, polished walls and pillars, until they reached the doorframe then she did the same; giving it the same admiring touch before taking a gander inside the office space where Mario was the night before.

Mario spotted her first and waved her inside. "Ah, Ness, a pleasure to see you awake." He used her nickname as she asked him to last night, how decent it was for him to remember. Vanessa smiled, still half asleep as she approached the two relatives. "I do hope you slept well."

Ezio took in her form, she knew he was wondering what happened to the dress he left for her.

"Morning, Mario." Count leaned on her leg, begging for more attention. "Morning, Ezio." She nodded to them both. "Fine actually, it's a nice place you got here Mario."

He smiled, "Why thank you, signorina." He bowed with a bright, wide smile. Apparently, they were morning people.

"We should be on our way uncle." Ezio spoke up; Vanessa simply turned around and began walking out, Ezio and Mario behind her. Leaving the Villa would be a nice change; the small town needed a completely new look just to make it look half decent.

Vanessa did the same as she had done yesterday when she arrived. She grimaced at certain points, people walking by she avoided like the plague while the walk was silent until Ezio felt it the time to mention the dress in her bedroom.

"I do remember leaving a dress for you to wear, mia cara." Mario laughed quietly to himself, Vanessa caught it, but Ezio chose to remain unaware. "It did take me quite some time to find it, best of its class and rather expensive. I would have thought a woman with such... high tastes as yourself would find such a dress attractive."

Vanessa wanted to laugh with Mario; instead she walked in between the relatives, looking to Mario as he shook his head in reply.

"Ezio, where I'm from if a woman wore that around they'd be laughed at." Vanessa chuckled, "It's so... bright, colorful... and, well, it hurts my eyes." She patted Ezio's shoulder. "But... I knew you meant well, so thanks, but I'm fine in my uniform." Vanessa half flinched at contact when Ezio rested a hand in thanks on her shoulder. The kevlar blocked a shot to her upper left torso, making his hand rather uncomfortable.

He didn't notice as the trio made their way to the stables. Ezio mounted his own horse while Vanessa chose hers. Count barked repeatedly and began to run off in to the main streets.

"Goodbye Mario, I'll see you soon." Vanessa bid as she chased after Count, not waiting for Ezio to catch up. She knew the road to Florence; she didn't need a guide anymore; at least, not to Florence and back.

Ezio easily caught up with her, she wasn't paying attention though, her thoughts drifted off to the road. It was truly strange to be in a place that existed five hundred years ago, different buildings, people, life held another meaning around the fifteenth century. Politics, artistry, and religion were just beginning to be separated.

At the very least, they began to realize the law wasn't a religious doctrine.

"So, how long have you been an assassin?" _Small talk, nice Ness. _She scolded herself. Ezio looked at her oddly, "Long enough." His face was contorted to an expression Vanessa could only identify as 'concerned' and 'freaked out by the crazy woman next to him.'

Sighing, Vanessa wanted to try explaining to him her world; the future. "Fifteenth-century Italy, huh? What do you do here? I mean, are you paid to be an assassin?"

Ezio was hoping the woman he was escorting wouldn't begin prying into his life too much. She was a stranger, not a person he could trust, especially with that book of Assassin's and Templars. "Yes, I am paid."

He frowned, side glanced to Vanessa and pointed accusingly at her, "What do you mean by '_fifteenth-century Italy_'; you say it like it's supposed to be different."

Vanessa grinned; she knew he'd catch on. "I mean, the twenty-first century is rather nice, cars, planes, phones, iPods, movies, and computers. But here, you have ancient architecture everywhere; only a few years after it was built or a century. All of the buildings are still in use. Like, yesterday I saw the Santa Maria Novella in perfect condition; like it hadn't aged one century."

"That's because it hasn't." Ezio glared daggers at her, "You must be insane. What are you talking about?" He pulled his horse in front of hers, forcing her to stop as she got a look at how agitated he really was.

_Play it safe Ness or he'll ditch you; you _need_ his help! _Taking a deep breath, Vanessa nervously continued; her hands fiddling with her horses' mane and saddle. "I'm from the twenty-first century, that's what I'm talking about. From what I know, no one's ever traveled back in time, so this must be a first in history."

Ezio had the look of realization across his face. He believed she was insane; she was an ill woman who needed professional attention. "I cannot believe this!" He groaned, his hand running down his face.

"I bet that book isn't even real!" He was beyond annoyed, the man was pissed off. Vanessa kept herself a safe distance from him, she knew he'd be angered or at least bothered by it somewhat. No one could justly believe someone claiming to be from the future, Vanessa wouldn't believe it herself had she not had perfect memory of her life as an officer, her life in the twenty-first century, and the sudden transition between then and fifteenth-century Italy.

"It is real." Vanessa countered, "Let me prove it to you, I know a way."

"Prove it? How? You're obviously an ill woman; I bet my life that the only reason you know those names is because your family must've known mine. It's possible, my family name was known throughout Firenze!"

"Leonardo da Vinci, that's how." She defended herself, "Right now, he should just be a painter in Florence, but in the near future, he'll go to Venice, Milan, he'll travel, he'll be well known for his work. In the twenty-first century Ezio, that man's name is known by everyone. He's a genius; I bet if we could just find him, I'd be able to tell you a few things about him to prove it and have him confirm them." Vanessa thought deeply to herself, now all she needed to do is find da Vinci and make her case to both of them; it'll be easier then speaking nonsense to Ezio.

No one knew technology like people in her time did, so claiming various achievements would mean nothing unless there was a way to show that it was plausible. Flight hadn't been perfected yet and people believed it an act against God to attempt it. Computers; how was she to explain those? There wasn't a thing in the entire world, at this time, that she could use to help Ezio understand.

Then again, perhaps proving it wasn't the issue so much as the fact of her traveling in time. She didn't know how that worked anymore then she knew the mechanics behind a flat screen, she knew it worked; she just didn't have the knowledge of its functions.

"I'll take you to him and if you are wrong..." Ezio roughly ran his hand over his jaw, as if he was trying to hold back from shouting at her. "One thing wrong and I'll let the guards have you."

He yanked the reigns and started off at a faster pace, cantering a head of Vanessa as she stayed behind with her hound.

It couldn't be easier to understand, if she didn't remember at least most about Leonardo da Vinci's life enough to convince Ezio-

Wait. Vanessa smiled, he knew Leonardo da Vinci? He said he was taking her to him, so he must be familiar with the artist. Vanessa was told she had an artistic mind; she was taken with paintings, drawings, and the creative genius of histories greatest minds. Nikola Tesla, da Vinci, Picasso, Van Gogh. She was going to meet one of the most famous people in the world.

Leonardo da Vinci, the famous polymath whom everyone respected, who's work sparked the construction of the helicopter, the tank, and many artistic styles. His art had survived through two of the worlds largest wars, not counting the many others pieces of his work had to suffer through in order to be kept safe and sound.

She was going to see Leonardo; she felt excited, thrilled, she needed to calm herself or she'd end up sounding like a bumbling idiot.

_Oh, Ezio's talking._

"What have you gotten me into?" He was complaining. _Wonderful,_ Vanessa brought her horse up beside his. "Ezio, listen. I'm not crazy; just remember some of the things I've told you. A police officer? Those don't exist here; not to mention how I knew those names and not just the Assassin names either, the Templar names."

"Do you expect me to just agree? If I did, I would happily let my uncle lock me up for spouting such impossible things. Nothing you've said has made sense; I don't think I'll believe you even if Leonardo tells me what you say must be true." Ezio again looked over her clothing. She was right, to a certain degree; about everything she had said so far being strange. Police, a guard woman, a woman wearing pants no less. She was... unique, but it didn't mean she wasn't mentally challenged.

"I would prefer to believe what you say, but I don't see how I can." It was only from what his uncle had taught him that he was being so patient with her. Had he met her before he became an Assassin and trained with his uncle, he would've turned her away and called the guards on her.

He was telling the truth too now, he wanted to trust what she said, to accept it as undeniable; yet he had to listen to his common sense. Going through time? Unspeakable.

"What about where you come from, America, was this what you were trying to hide from me?" Vanessa smiled, he wasn't going to accept the idea, but he was giving her a chance. "You won't become completely aware of its existence until another few years. A man, who lived here in Florence, was what they named the land after. Amerigo Vespucci."

Ezio blinked, "Here? He discovered that land?"

"Let's just say he suggested it wasn't what they thought it was and leave it at that, if we go on, it'll take hours just to fully explain everything." Vanessa chuckled, her carefree nature relaxed Ezio slightly; it was comforting for him to know that although she may be _unique_, she wasn't a threat to him or his work.

* * *

Once Florence could be seen, Vanessa smiled. She knew getting her hopes up would make failure all the more painful, but she couldn't help it. She may have the chance to go home, to get her life back on track and away from this almost too alien time.

Things were so different here, she hadn't seen the half of it, but with Assassin's and knowing the Templar's were around (at least in part) kept Vanessa feeling more out of place then she had done upon discovering being misplaced in time.

Dismounting, Vanessa took it slowly, barely lifting herself off the saddle and let her legs take the brunt of the force while her torso throbbed in protest.

Vanessa ignored all else to kneel down and gave Count a good petting, giving him thanks for not being a bother on their trip back to Florence. Ezio watched for a moment with his arms crossed while she used her fingers to scratch Count underneath his thick, heavy coat.

"What kind of mutt is that?" Ezio came closer, bending over to pat the dog's head. "He's a German Shepherd, his breed is commonly used as a police hound; they're very intelligent, great learners, very loyal. I've had Count for about four years now and he's never let me down."

"A dog as a guard?" He straightened himself back up, "Dog's can sense things much better then humans. While I can't smell anything but dirt, the horses, and both of us, Count here can smell people in the city, the entire stables, the fields, he can smell everything since we can't. Dog's can also overpower a human rather easily; that's what Count was doing mostly before I came here." She explained, standing up as Count just scratched his neck with his foot.

"We'll see." Ezio turned, letting Vanessa follow behind him with Count rounding them ever so often; every time coming straight back to Vanessa.

"The alley wasn't too far from the Santa Maria Novella, if we go there, then I know I can take us directly to the alleyway." Vanessa stood by Ezio's shoulder, looking around ancient Florence. "We're going to Leonardo first; if you are lying, or ill, I'd rather find out now then hunt for a nonexistent book."

Shrugging, Vanessa just took this time to take her last chances to see ancient Florence. If she was to find that book and find her way home, then she'd never see this city again, most likely. She'd be going to Spain, not Italy, and there she'll enjoy history as it barely stands before her. Now she could live in the fifteenth-century, unbothered.

Well, bothered, but not in a way that she'd be interrupted from her admiration for historic architecture.

_Speaking of which_, Vanessa was grinning like a monkey. Leonardo's workshop in Florence. Oh, how her friend would be jealous, so very jealous. Vanessa wanted to travel so badly it hurt day in and day out; but this wasn't Spain, it was _better_. It was history in the making.

Ezio turned to a door and rapped on it, waiting for the occupant to answer.

As the door squeaked open, they were met with an excited voice. "Ezio! How are you?" He greeted them inside, closing the door behind them as Ezio replied. "Good my friend." Leonardo embraced Ezio shortly before becoming aware of his newest guest and her pet.

"Ah, and who is this bella donna?" He passed Ezio, hands clasped together in interest. "I'm Vanessa Ryder." Ezio nodded his head towards her, "And she claims to be from the future."

"What?" Leonardo spun to face Ezio, "He means that I have stumbled across some kind of... supernatural rift in time. I know it sounds insane, like Ezio told me earlier, but there's no other word for it, no other possibility and I find myself in a very unlucky position because of it."

Leonardo was stunned for a moment, rooted to the spot after hearing Vanessa explain herself. "I am... not sure what to, ah, say about that... I guess I would have to ask for some kind of evidence to your story."

"Well put." Vanessa needed to remember, not all, not every inch of detail, but something notable to Leonardo.

"Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci. That's your full name, your father was Piero da Vinci and your mother Caterina and you were taught by a man named Verrocchio." Both stood back from Vanessa and she begun her own ranting, she wanted to convince them, to have Leonardo's confirmation and Ezio's acceptance. She was nervous, a wreck.

She ranted and rambled on. "We think one of your earliest works is Annunciation, somewhere between fourteen-seventy and fourteen-eighty, not sure, still working on perfecting how we test things like that. I- I mean, we don't know much about you, we knew your interests were so much more then artistry and practicality that you went on to create things, build things, trying to make functional equipment that was so far ahead of you time."

Ezio looked to his friend while Vanessa fiddled with a loose strand of hair.

Leonardo was at a loss for words, he just met this oddly clothed dark skinned woman with a very strong accent he couldn't place and suddenly she begins retelling an overview of his life. His friend just stood beside him, expecting him to speak up, as if he was supposed to know what was happening.

"Look Leonardo, I'm just trying to prove to Ezio I'm from the future, but the only way I know how right now besides for trying to work my way through politics like the Pazzi conspiracy, which would take far too long to try and explain or talk to you. Who I didn't know Ezio knew until about twenty minutes ago." Vanessa held a lop sided smile, "I'm sorry for barging in like this, but I just needed to give Ezio a grounds to believe me so we can go fetch the book."

Standing between his friend and Vanessa, Leonardo never let his mood drop beyond confusion. "What book?"

"It is supposedly a book containing the names of some important conspirators like the Pazzi-" Ezio stopped, "Hold on, what do you know about the Pazzi?" Ezio bypassed Leonardo, once more targeting Vanessa as she helplessly defends herself.

"Well, the Pazzi conspiracy became infamous, people all over know about it now. The Pazzi plot to kill the Medici in order to gain power over Florence, it's a well known historical fact." She cringed away from the flustered assassin, "Of course, no one knows about the Assassin and Templar war, not a soul but them."

"You've just repeated certain times in my life, yes, and my parents even." Leonardo stopped his friend, resting a hand on his back, "She is right; my father was Piero and my mother Caterina and I was taught by Verrocchio."

Ezio nodded, "Anything else?"

"Umm, not that I know of." Vanessa mouthed out _thank you_ to Leonardo, who replied with a slight bow. "Can we get the book now?"

He caved, she succeeded in her part, and it was time to complete his. "Very well, let us go now before it gets dark, I'd much rather not have to deal with the night guards; they're much more suspicious."

"Leonardo, I'm sorry we burst in like that." Vanessa held her hand out, "But it was an honor to meet you, I hope we get the chance to see each other again."

He smiled; he put aside the odd topics for one last polite gesture. "Of course tesora." He took her hand, bowed and kissed the back of her hand in one swift, skillful motion. "I to hope we meet again."

"Before we go Leonardo," Ezio pulled out three scrolls. "Ah, more codex pages!" Leonardo took them eagerly and rushed over to a table, setting them out. "I can have these deciphered by this afternoon if you are still in the city."

"We will return before we leave Leonardo, thank you again my friend." Leonardo saw them out the door, bidding them a final farewell before Ezio began leading Vanessa and Count away from his workshop and back into the many winding streets of Florence.

Ezio remembered what Vanessa had mentioned earlier about the Santa Maria Novella, he was going to take her there and from that point he'd let her take the lead.

It wasn't long before Vanessa wanted to speak up about what happened at Leonardo's workshop, she also wanted to know what those scrolls were that had the artist so excited, but that was only if her first question was met with a positive answer.

"So, do you believe me now?" Ezio stopped for a second, gathering his thoughts and collecting his words to answer without misunderstanding. "You have to admit, this is a lot to take in."

"I can understand that, I was trying to prove it to myself too. I kept asking myself how I'd give you irrefutable proof that I was from the future; it always came up with a question unanswered, a statement too... ridiculous." She laughed, catching Ezio smiling back at her. "Believe me this, at least, if there was a way I could go home without bothering you with all this... insanity," She gestured her hands outward, towards everything all around them. "I assure you, I wouldn't have ever thought about burdening you with this."

Ezio sighed and stopped, turning Vanessa to face him directly. "You are not a burden Vanessa, this is all a little too strange to me and I should apologize if I have given you a reason to think you have bothered me in anyway. Honestly, you have not; do not continue thinking you have."

Vanessa chewed on the inside of her cheek, "Thanks Ezio; you're pretty cool for an..." She looked to people around them, "-an assassin."

He held an arm out to her, Vanessa, thinking over the polite gesture, decided it best to begin working on his good side. There was nothing wrong with the man, he didn't seem evil or have a murderous behavior. He was an assassin though, he targeted certain people, and she'd just have to make due with not understanding him or his work completely.

Hooking her arm with his, sending Ezio grinning in triumph, they continued on their way to Santa Maria Novella in hopes to find and recover the book of Templars and Assassins.

It was early afternoon, they weren't too late in the day to be concerned, but after seeing the Santa Maria Novella, Vanessa took the lead, trying her best to remember the exact way to the alley the guards had dragged her out of so forcefully.

Looking down a main street to her left, Vanessa released Ezio's arm and jogged down the road, weaving in and out of the crowds, dodging people and shifting through them with little concern whilst Ezio started to lag behind. Vanessa was a smaller person and far more nimble then the assassin bogged down with pounds of armor and weaponry.

Vanessa was certain the man was a walking arsenal by now, supplying freedom fighters wherever he went like some backwards Robin Hood.

She was beyond thrilled she remembered the chestnut horse neighing above her head when she awoke the first time in Florence.

The horse was either still there or had been ridden recently as it stood as a landmark to the alley she was in beforehand. It was the exact some one, no mistake about it. The horse, its small water and food sources, the building in front of her and to her side. She realized now the one to her left when she awoke was actually a wall, not another home.

She saw the very spot she rose from; black marks scarred the ground. It looked similar to the markings of her first experiment as a child with fireworks; burnt markings in a circle around a certain point, she hadn't noticed that when she was in the alley the first time.

"Vanessa." Ezio caught up, shoving his way passed the last inconsiderate person. "Is this it?" He was clearly examining the same burnt ground she was.

"Yeah..." Vanessa quickly took off to scouring the area, the book was either there or at the precinct. She hoped to her dying bed it was here and would serve as her way home. She had to go home; she wanted to be back in the safety of her air-conditioned home, Count sleeping at her side on the couch while watching some late night movie.

She was desperately wanted that all back; she wanted to take things for granted again. This place, this time wasn't going to give her the same vanities as her life in the twenty-first century would.

Ezio was right behind her, turning over every crate, into every old barrel while Vanessa looked around the chestnut horse. It wasn't near the horse nor by the city wall to her left.

Joining Ezio, Vanessa stuck her hand into every possible hiding spot. Count had momentarily sniffed the old leather hide of the book; but without anything to remind him of that smell, Count wasn't useful.

Vanessa had to find the book, it was here, and it just had to be to her. She and her dog were both transported into the past, why wouldn't the book? Unless it couldn't for some unknown reason. She didn't know how these things work, she had no solid understanding, no one ever mentioned being in the past.

Unless people had done and never returned.

Vanessa dug around the pile of crates and old, abandoned clothing. It could've been teleported off in the distance, perhaps even on a rooftop, or someone picked it up.

There were many people standing around her when she first awoke, she hadn't a clue how long she'd been passed out in the alleyway but it was long enough for people to gossip and call over the guards to see to her health.

The book, somewhere, anywhere, it had to be _here_.

She _needed_ to go home.

"Vanessa!" She felt herself being yanked by two strong arms away from her frantic search. "It is not here." He held her at arms distance, his hands tightly gripping her upper arms.

She sighed and nodded, she didn't trust her voice. Even Count sat stoically by her feet. "I have business in Florence; I will take you to Leonardo's where you'll stay until I return. After that, we can get the codex pages from him and return to Monteriggioni; it isn't safe to stay in Florence."

He released her arms, "Come now, we really should start moving." Ezio saw her disappointed expression. Even if he didn't fully believe her story, it didn't help him shake how badly he felt when he saw how heartbroken she looked over not finding the book.

"It'll be fine Vanessa, we'll find another way." She explained to him already her thoughts on it; that it may possess the ability to get her home, to her own time; he still didn't want to openly admit he was beginning to believe this woman's fantastical tale of time traveling with a dog through a book.

She didn't reply and she meekly followed behind him, waiting to return to Leonardo's. She was hungry now, if she was going to be stuck in fourteen seventy-eight, she might as well start trying to acquire a life here. She wasn't going to mooch off of Ezio and his uncle forever of course.

A problem bounced in her head, she met Daniel years ago on the force, both of them became close friends, practically family; she always meant to accept his invitations to do something. He wasn't flirting with her, he was gay, and he just loved her company as she loved having him around too. It was a mutual thing, his mother didn't mind his choice, his father was always cruel to people though. Vanessa served as a source of comfort and support when he needed it.

But he stuck around her when she broke her leg, or when she was shot. After she was mugged one night he stayed at her house until she felt safe again and promised to never tell a soul that she felt defenseless; she never got to tell him how thankful she was that he was just _there_ for her.

They both stuck together, nothing separated them; now she had Count to protect her sanity while she survives in a strange land.

"Quick," Ezio grabbed her hand, pulling her into an alley. Her body screamed to stop and deny his pull. Her torso would hurt for weeks, from extreme sensitivity as she suffered from now to a light soreness a week or so later. Ezio's insistence to take sharp turns around corners, jerking her from side to side was beginning to hurt far too much.

She ground her teeth, bit her tongue, finally, she couldn't take. "Stop Ezio, Jesus Christ, just stop!" Ezio stopped on a dime and she ran straight into him. Her body was burning inside out, she couldn't take it. Vanessa always made sure her boss knew when she was injured in the line of duty to where she'd become dead weight in a delicate situation; he'd always heed her warnings and put her on a desk until her doctor said she was fine.

"What's wrong?" He was a bit mad when she screamed at him to stop, but watching her double over in pain, he grew far too concerned. "Are you well?"

Count whined beneath her, offering his never ending support. She wrapped her arms around her stomach; she did all she could to slow her breathing down. "I thought you said you could keep up with me." He gloated; he saw her panting and assumed she was just winded from running through the alleyways. He had to dodge the patrol group of guards heading his way and it was all too obvious that Vanessa hadn't spotted them before he did; he had to get himself and Vanessa to safety.

"It's not that." She groaned, "I'm a cop, a police woman, getting hurt on the job isn't unheard of."

Ezio frowned; he couldn't see any injuries outside her uniform. Perhaps they were old wounds? "What happened, were you hurt?"

"I got shot three times in the chest. I'm a little limited right now, I'll be better in a few days, enough to run with minimal problems." Ezio remembered, she was cautious this morning, mounting the horse and dismounting, various times when force was applied to her shoulders or back she'd flinch.

"Leonardo will take care of you; we just have to take the back way to reach his workshop. We'll tend to your wounds there, but right now we have to move or else those guards will catch us. Can you do that?" He helped her straighten up, "As long as when we get there I don't do a damn thing but sit down, I think that's motivational enough for me."

"Good, we need to go. Now."

* * *

**_Review Replies:_**

**_flyingcrispi:_**_ Look! Another early update! :D I'm getting so many happy reviews I can't help myself! More Vanessa and Ezio!  
*GASPETH* I'm sooo very thrilled you're enjoying my chapters! And you're welcome, I hope this chapter is as good or better then the last!_

**_emochild123456:_**_ COOKIIIIEEEEEEZZZ.  
My weakness! :D  
Thanks for teh cookahs, I really luv them._

_Anyways, a romance is highly likely for this story. I'm beginning to think it's best for our characters, they'll be spending a long time together; might as well!_

**_Kudomeya: _**_Another quick update, yes? :D  
I'm loving my freedom to write this story, I've always been overly calculating of my chapters in other stories that it takes me forever to update. So I decided to make life simple and release a story that's calm, relaxed, fast paced here or there, when necassary, but this is a more "Learn a lesson in life" kind of story._

_I hope what we talked about over PM's helped, if you need anything more I'd love to be your informant!_

**_crystalfeathers:_**_ Yes, all in fact! It makes me happy!  
Yes, I am well aware of Ezio's love of women. Or something else about women I'm not going to say here.  
Vanessa would be a challenge, but it's not like she'll be there for a few days and suddenly a romance will burst from the seams._

_She's not leaving the fifteenth-century for a long time. A long, long time. So, a roman over time isn't impossible nor unlikely. Vanessa's an attractive woman, she's an every day adverage person, but compared to other beauties in fifteenth-century...  
Well, we have various skin treatments and hair treatments that'll make our "adverage" woman seem rich compared to those of the fifteenth-century. While we'd deem it normal, they'd think we were rich! I mean, clean was considered rich then and a spot of dirt meant you were as poor as dirt._

_I'd look like a million bucks. See, it didn't matter if you were, poor or middle class, if you looked rich to the same class or the higher classes, you'd be worth a lot more. Especially if you were a woman and so very clean._

_Tasteful, perhaps, at a time, a bit physical, but a romance nonetheless. Like I said, Vanessa will be there for quite some time; not just a few measly days or weeks. But years._


	5. Blenders

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**Secrets in History.**

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_By Kaimaler._

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**Oh noes, I am sooo sorry **guys but it's about time updates started slowing down. This is what I call a "Directory Chapter" where all that happens is that we move our characters from one place to another. Back in Monteriggioni, things will start right back up again, but now that I have to refocus on chapters of my other two stories; less frequent updates for this one.  
Awww, I know! I know! I suck, I really do! But since this is a relaxing story for me to write, chapters will be published faster then those of my other stories.

__Much faster, like, days faster or something. :)

_Disclaimer: In another universe? Maybe. Here? Now? No, nope, no way no how, dreams don't come true.  
However, Vanessa, Daniel, and Count are my works. So is Rodrigo's journal, but hey, who knows, maybe he did have a journal?_

* * *

"Leonardo!" Ezio came in the door abruptly, Vanessa being supported by his arm around her back and another holding up her forearm. "She needs help."

"Goodness Ezio, what happened?" Leonardo was surprised by the suddenness, but ignored it all to help Vanessa into his workshop.

Leading her to a chair in front of his fireplace, Ezio shook his head. "Nothing, she tells me she was wounded before she even arrived in Firenze, before she met me or uncle." Leonardo was kneeling in front of her, seeing where her hands held her torso. "It's nothing really, I've been shot before."

"Shot?" Leonardo gasped, "What have you done to protect the wounds, should I get bandages to replace old ones?" He asked quickly, taking her hands away from sore spots and applying pressure on various areas of her torso, attempting to judge the damage based on reaction. "Nothing! Guys, I'll live, it's just bruises; I've been shot dozens of times, it comes with high crime rate."

"Bruises? The wounds have already closed and yet they still ail you?" He seemed not to get the idea, "No I mean, in the future, there's a vest made to counter bullets; to stop them before they penetrate the skin. It's called kevlar; I was wearing one at the time but... Jeez, you never get used to being shot even with it on, that's for sure. I was lucky Count was there, he stopped the guy before he got away." Vanessa smiled to Count who instantly began wagging his tail and panting.

Leonardo paused a moment, his mind alight with new knowledge. "Then what has you in such distress?" He asked more calmly knowing she wasn't actually mortally wounded relaxed him somewhat.

"Like I said, it doesn't completely stop the bullet; it just makes sure you don't die." Vanessa lifted her upper body using her hands on the armrests of the chair to fix herself in a better position. Immediately Ezio and Leonardo jumped to steady her, "I'm fine guys, really, don't worry. Ezio just started yanking me through alleys so it started to hurt."

"Well, you're in my hands now; I'll take care of you until you leave." Leonardo rose from Vanessa and took off for supplies from around his workshop. "Actually Leonardo, I was wondering if you could watch over her while I conclude some business I have within Firenze, it must be done before I leave. I understand if you say no since it is on such short notice."

"No Ezio, I do not mind." Leonardo smiled to Ezio, "When should I expect your return?"

"Late I fear. Though I do intend to return before it becomes too late, I wouldn't want her presence to keep you up Leonardo." Said man came right up, supplies nearly dropping onto the floor as he rushed to Vanessa's side. "Think nothing of it Ezio; I'm sure she won't be a problem in the slightest."

Ezio wanted to see the extent of the damage before he left her with Leonardo.

"Signorina, I must see what is harming you so I may make it more tolerable until it heals." Leonardo set the supplies one right after another on the table nearby.

Vanessa shrugged and unbuttoned her over shirt, carefully pulling it off her arms and setting it over the armrests of the chair. "It's not bad Leonardo, I promise, just something I have to work with until it goes away."

"I know what you mean; I simply want to make sure you suffer as little as possible." Leonardo took two items with him, bandages and a cloth he packed with ice and tied the ends closed. Leonardo caught sight of discoloration on her shoulder and squinted, as if trying to get a better look.

Sighing, Vanessa leaned forward and slowly started to pull off her tank top, getting aid from Leonardo who took the shirt from her and set it aside.

"Mio dio!" Leonardo saw the extent of damage, the multicolored bruises staining her skin. "This vest mustn't be very good." Leonardo tried to identify the sources, the very area the bullets hit and caused so much damage.

"Where does it hurt the most piccino?" He was ready to apply a cloth with ice to sooth the inflamed areas, Vanessa pointed to three spots on her torso and Leonardo acted quickly, having the ice calm the irritated spots actually helped her relaxed considerably. "Heh, that actually feels kinda' nice."

Ezio saw the massive bruises, she looked as bad as he did when he missed a ledge and tumbled down five storeys. He was lucky he didn't injure himself worse, but due to a soft landing he survived. After that, he never took a chance on a ledge again; he always made sure he could do to no matter what before jumping from one building to the next.

Whoever did this caused the same injuries Ezio hated to remember, mistakes made in his early years. Or guards when they cause his balance to falter.

He'd be back tonight, and then he'll take Vanessa back to Monteriggioni where he wouldn't let her take five steps unless he deemed it safe. Ezio left quickly, now rushing to get his affairs through with.

Leonardo tended to the last area he could, hoping she'd feel better. He unraveled the bandages and gestured her to sit up; she complied and Leonardo began wrapping the stiff bands around her waist. "This should prevent movement and help support, do not take it off until ready," He closed the band around her waist, "One last."

He wrapped the final band around her chest, insisting she pull it down around her front and checking how tight it is before finishing. Leonardo stood back, as if he was judging his latest work. "There, all better." He smiled, putting a few supplies up.

"Thanks Leo," She had to give him a nickname, judging by her earlier failure into finding the book; she'll be there for some time. In that time, staying in the presence of Leonardo would be a great deal safer then just walking through the streets. At least he and Ezio would be a familiar in the city, until Leonardo left for Venice to work.

"What were those... scrolls that Ezio gave you?" _Better now then never to start integrating into society._Leonardo picked one up; he was just about to begin where he left off when Ezio pulled Vanessa in.

"They're old texts; we believe there is some kind of hidden meaning to all of them. Unfortunately, we only have a few, yet we have already earned some invaluable data for Ezio's... _work_." He chuckled to himself, "I must get these done before Ezio returns."

"Yeah, sure." Vanessa mindlessly petted Count's head resting her head on her other hand. She stared into the fire; she needed a way to get by, money, she that's her goal.

How was she going to get a job when no one knows she exists? What positions could she acquire in this time? Merchant perhaps? Then she'd need connections and a boss, unfortunately for her, no one hires female workers. She could try a life in politics; she knew a lot about history and from a certain stand point being in politics could actually work. She knew all the most notable people, as long as she knew them and who to be friends with, then it would be successful.

However, no one wanted a female politician and there was no way on Earth, Vanessa was going to degrade herself to being a prostitute. It was illegal for one thing, at least, at her home it was. Getting paid for taking men behind closed doors? No, not a chance.

But what else could she do? She needed to live, but in this sexist society, it wasn't accepted for women to work, as in actual paid by the hour hard labor.

_Hmm,_ Vanessa looked to the bandages around her waist and across her chest. _It doesn't hurt as bad..._She grinned to herself. She was in the workshop of Leonardo da Vinci, she should take advantage of the moment; learning more about Leonardo could be beneficial. If only to her.

"Leo?" She called, she had been sitting there staring at the fire for quite some time, her voice was raspy, she cleared her throat. "Yes Vanessa?"

She looked around, "Can you... show me what you're working on?" He looked a little surprised at the sudden interest, but he waved her over. "If you feel you can stand, then yes, I can."

Smiling, Vanessa slowly lifted herself free of the chair. She was stiff; it had been an hour since Leonardo tended to her injuries. Stretching her stiff legs, Vanessa could walk just fine; it wasn't those that hurt.

"I'm currently working on deciphering this codex," He pointed out some progress he made so far. "I've finished one, but this one is a bit different." He rubbed his chin, clearly thinking to himself. "I suppose you've tried the basics; skipping letters, reading backwards, skipping letters backwards, various anagrams."

He nodded, "I've tried many ways, those included. My problem doesn't stem from deciphering the words but more these sketches." Vanessa looked closer to the sketching. "What about folding the page?"

Leonardo pointed to indentions. "Done once, nothing matches though. I was seeing about rearranging the sketches, putting them in a certain order then changing the actions, but that will take some time, I want to eliminate all other options before doing that."

Looking closer, Vanessa saw what he was talking about. The sketches were not just scribbling on a page, but certain figures looked displaced; as if meaning to be in a different move or action. "I think you're right about that one, I see what you're saying and it makes the most sense. Like, see his arm?" Leonardo looked to the figure she pointed at, "It's clearly cut off, but another figure here has an arm on the second figure that has no owner."

Rising, he pulled some empty parchment, ink and pen. "Here, let us see." Leonardo started sketching the man, scribbling down a rough copy of the two separate figures together, completing an action previously unseen.

Vanessa watched Leonardo work with great interest, he wasn't doing anything serious, no masterpiece, but it was something, which considering no one has ever seen him work in the modern era and only had his paintings and drawings to go by. This was a moment Vanessa wouldn't soon forget, not mentioning any time in the future where she may witness him painting his famous artwork.

As soon as he finished, he took a second to compare. Seeing the figures together, completing one fluid motion kept Leonardo piecing other incomplete characters together.

She flashed a large smile, it was the answer, but she just felt more helpful then she had in quite some time.

* * *

Ezio knocked, opening the door; upon entering he heard laughter emitting from the usually quiet workshop. He grinned once he saw Leonardo and Vanessa sitting in front of the fire, laughing about something Vanessa was saying Ezio was sure Leonardo couldn't understand anymore. She was laughing too hard to form a coherent sentence, but then again, so was Leonardo.

With tears streaming down each others faces, Ezio had to join. He couldn't let his friend enjoy another woman's company without him.

"What is going on here?" He chuckled, the two conversationalists were startled, and they hadn't heard him enter. "Oh, Ezio!" Leonardo greeted first, "Vanessa was just telling me a bit about her home. Some interesting advances they have made in the future."

"And no matter how hard I try, there's no way in hell I'd ever be able to tell you how that God-forsaken blender worked!" Vanessa choked out between barks of laughter, forcing a knowing smile and bubbling laughter from the artist across from her. "Blender of hell, I swear."

"What?" Ezio put his hands up, "No, wait, I already know not to try and understand you." He sighed happily, watching two friends talk as if they knew each other for years.

"Well, one time, me and Daniel were making this shake. We've always wanted to have a go at it, so one day he comes over to my house with all the ingredients and we start." Vanessa couldn't contain her laughs; Leonardo wasn't even trying beyond this point. "So we're putting everything in the blender and we're about to turn it on when Daniel plugs it in and it starts up without us even doing anything!"

Leonardo hadn't a clue what she was going on about at first; it took her a while to explain the machine and what it did before he joined in her laughter. Right now, it was Leonardo gasping for air while she recounted the story to Ezio.

"The blender sends all the ingredients flying all over my kitchen! It was on the walls, the counters, the ceiling even! Daniel and I were left covered in slushies!" She laughed again, earning a bark from Count who ate eagerly at food left for him. "His shirt had pink spots after that, he didn't throw it away either, he still wears it!"

Ezio shook his head, odd, these things she spoke about though he wasn't going to ask what they were. He strolled over to Leonardo's desk, looking at various scribbling of people, some articulate copies of characters he saw on the codex page; others crude drawings of two people dancing, he thought, and a few others of random actions he knew must have been Vanessa's work.

"You like my art?" Vanessa called to Ezio. His head snapped up, seeing her looking at him expectantly. "Er," He glanced back at the poorly drawn people, "Yes. They're very..." Vanessa giggled, "They suck!" She and Leonardo burst into another fit of laughter. Ezio agreed, those oddly shaped people on parchment compared to Leonardo's expertly done figures.

"Well Leo, looks like this is our goodbye." Vanessa shoved herself up off the couch, stopping after to calm her angry bruises. "Ow, that hurt." Leonardo rose with her, following Ezio and Vanessa to the door after Ezio picked up the codex pages.

"Not quite." Leonardo said matter-of-factly. "Those sketches aren't just random images Ezio; they're assassination techniques, it's not too late to try them out. I'll have my assistant set up a few dummies for you to practice on."

Ezio nodded, "This'll only take a little while." He turned to leave, Leonardo's assistant rushing out the door first. "Good, that'll give me enough time to finish the last codex." Leonardo spread the scroll on the table.

Shaking his head, Ezio followed the assistant out the door.

"I thought you did them already." Vanessa giggled, standing beside Leonardo. "Heh, almost finished the last codex." He continued his work, searching for the answer to the codex page.

Scoffing, Vanessa took the last sip of the glass of water Leonardo had given her earlier when she remarked about how famished she was after time traveling. He caught the joke but brought back food and water.

Not a moment too soon either, Vanessa nearly devoured every bit of food he brought back, including a jug of water Leonardo may have had one glass of.

She excused herself, mentioning that famished was an understatement after not eating a single bit of food for two days. He understood and backed away; lest he loose a finger while Vanessa was on her binge.

It hadn't taken long for Ezio to return, hay sticking to his robes. "Here you are Ezio." Leonardo passed the last codex page to him, "Arrivederchi, Vanessa. I look forward to your next visit."

Vanessa shrugged on her over shirt, "Thanks for everything Leo; I'll have to get Ezio to bring me back real soon." Ezio raised a brow at Vanessa and decided to ignore the comment. "Goodbye Leonardo."

The duo left the workshop, waving their final goodbyes before Ezio began to lead them out of the city. "So, back to Monteriggioni?" Vanessa asked, Ezio regarded her with a curt nod.

Now that she was staying, seeing Florence was probably going to become a regular thing, she couldn't stand the thought of dealing with fifteenth-century sexist men parading down the streets like they owned everything. Women weren't respected here, generally in the twenty-first century it became mandatory to have a woman in your business; or be sued for wrongful discrimination. Which happened a lot.

On top of being a woman, being a foreigner with a skin tone previously unseen by fifteenth-century Italy. This wasn't going to get her far, at all.

She had Ezio and Leonardo as friends, perhaps not Ezio, but Leonardo would help her fit into the society, maybe even help her begin her own life in Florence. She'd need Ezio's hand in all this as well, yet bothering the assassin seemed less like and idea and more like a death wish.

Cringing, Vanessa didn't speak to Ezio for the rest of the trip to Monteriggioni. She had a feeling she was going be delivering her goodbye to the Villa in only a day or so, after preparing herself for the challenge.

* * *

**_Review Replies:_**

**_flyingcrispi:_**_How do you manage to be the first reviewer on ALL chapters? :D I love you teh mostest!_

_"-and there it was, the long awaited (not that long, but still) story alert! Oh the joy! The glee! The squee!" OMFG You're so awesome! I'm sorry for the shortness on this chapter, but it was time I restarted on pusblishing chapters of my other stories. "The Next Life" and "Stunning Encounters" both have a list of readers who'll probably find my and kill me in my sleep if I don't update. :O_

_**crystalfeathers: **Vanessa would be amazing by their standards. Of course, the fact that she's Native American in a time were spite towards other races was still the norm. (and accepted! The gall of these people!) It would be something of a problem for Vanessa to seek out work with dark red skin and an accent that wasn't ever heard of before this era._

_Heh heh. Yeahhh... Not for Vanessa.  
Remember, she's an ally to an assassin, a woman who fell from the future. Doing things like "that" would be so personally destructive a person might as well starve themselves.  
Vanessa's a cop, she's not going to have any of that "men first, women suck" sexism going on around her. Oh hellz no.  
You'll see what she's going to do, it makes more sense then her working as a pros- excuse me - courtesan or marrying some unfortunate man who'd probably find himself without "man parts" on the first day of marriage._

_Vanessa's not a normal woman in the fifteenth-century; she'd rash, hardheaded, pissed off, and won't take no for an answer. That was unacceptable in those times. Woman + Free will = NO.  
__I'm going to give her a role that's more suiting and a few assassin-related side quests... Err, I mean, no, I didn't mean that. I mean... Ezio-related errands! Yeah, that's totally what I meant. :)_


	6. Guardwoman

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**Secrets in History.**

By Kaimaler.

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_

**HOLD UP** I got a poll up! :D  
Since another story of mine will end rather shortly I'm confounded as to which catagory I'm going to do next! The poll is up and waiting for you to vote! :) Please, vote, I neeeeeeeeed inspiration!

Disclaimer: Wishing upon a star doesn't work; sorry to break the news Jiminy.

* * *

Monteriggioni was a welcome sight to Vanessa. With her entire torso wrapped like a mummy, she couldn't relax, her usual slouched position pulled the wraps and pinched her skin; she instead sat straight up, not daring to tear the fabric or her skin.

The entire trip back she could feel Ezio's constant staring. He was watching in case she doubled over in pain or complained about problems while riding. He was ready to jump off his horse and pull her down every second of the way. It was too much to say he cared specifically about her so much as about the pain she was experiencing.

She said she had felt it before, that she had been shot before and injured due to it. A female guard was unheard of in Italy; he hadn't met a soul that knew of a woman fighting for the city she and her family resided in.

It was almost unspeakable; but there she was, in what she called a uniform, brandishing some kind of weapon (he was sure of that now) on her hip with another, less dangerous tool on the opposite side.

Another thing that interested Ezio was her appearance. She was clean, as if she washed herself every time she got a spec of dirt on her clothes or skin. Of course, right now she had a considerable amount of dirt staining her clothes, but it wasn't even enough to mar the obvious cleanliness beneath it.

Her hair was glossy and light, her skin dark and without a mark, her clothing was expertly made; custom perhaps? Everything about her screamed out to him _rich girl._ Somehow though, she didn't seem to have a single florin on her.

Not once did he spot a pouch or hear the familiar jingles of small metal coins. She was immaculate yet poor, or maybe rich where she was from. _The future_, Ezio inwardly scoffed. He told himself it couldn't be so he couldn't be called crazy. Then again, there wasn't another option in his head any more. He ruled out various ideas, family, husband, children, guardsmen, foreign country, etcetera. There wasn't a thing pointing to the opposite.

Ezio half hoped that while in Florence someone would recognize her and claim her as a medical patient or a family member and tell him her motive for escape. Not a single person in all of Florence had spoken up or even gave her a second thought. In the city, many looked at them, seeing her attire as just a foreign fashion.

Not a one took her as theirs.

He felt defeated. With his family in ruins, his profession as an Assassin only beginning to take off; he couldn't risk this woman running about. She could easily compromise him or the remnants of his once whole family in Monteriggioni.

It was all too much to believe at the same time. He told himself this was all just taking so long to understand because of what has happened in such short time; two years, suddenly his father isn't a banker, he and his brothers are dead, himself wanted by many powerful enemies. Templar's threatening everything his father strived for.

Too much, it was all too much. He sighed, this woman was a puzzle he would solve, just another of the opposite gender that confounded him beyond belief. If he could throw away his training to be a banker like his father to be an Assassin like his father, then he could deal with a woman claiming to be from the future.

Right now, it seemed, she was content with their ride to Monteriggioni. She liked his uncle, that much Ezio knew; but she also liked to tease him when given the chance to.

Now there was a game Ezio was more then happy to play. The future hadn't changed _that_ much Ezio could see. There was still the battle of the sexes, the dominance of one or the other and romance. _Ah romance,_ Ezio mused, his own thoughts drifting from one beautiful woman to the next, Christina being the first and best in his own mind.

Of course, she was all he had currently and even then; Ezio hadn't seen her since before his father and brothers died. He hadn't heard one word about her health or her family. He assumed their safety and hoped their family was in no ways knowledgeable of his targets' secret lives. It was highly unlikely as Christina's family, though nobles weren't deeply involved in the politics his father had been in.

Vanessa Ryder. Curious name, yet Ezio was no stranger to foreign names. His time with his father had familiarized him with many outlandish names; many he couldn't pronounce and had no hopes of even spelling correctly.

She was... odd to say the least. Her choice words and appearance was enough to bring eyes to her, yet now, thinking about the times he had spoken with her in the past few hours; she was much, much more different then he initially thought.

It was his uncle that taught him to give more thought into things. Especially things he didn't understand or confused him. His new patience and the silent guidance of his father through writings and books had shown him and gifted him with knowledge well beyond his years. It was good for him, in his line of work, to pay attention to the lesser known facts of the world. He could never tell if they'd save his life one day.

Vanessa served as a mystery, one he'd uncover for what it truly was in time, but for now she was an entertaining woman. She distracted him, not from work, but his mind wandered to the world she must come from that allows women to serve as guards and who knows what else. Do women lead families? Could they become bankers like his father? Could they train to be doctors?

What else did women do in the future that they didn't do now, in his lifetime?

He wanted to ask, but the question stuck in his throat after he realized how offending it would sound if he just stated his thoughts to her without refining them. What more could women do? He knew already the opposite gender had the ability to do much more then the few professions they were allowed, however, social acceptance was pivotal. Of course, a woman would marry another equal class man; become a nun, or a courtesan.

Somehow, social acceptance wasn't so important when one is given the option of being a nun or a courtesan. A woman chose the latter more often then the former.

Ezio tried. Very, very hard too, but he just couldn't see it. Vanessa a nun? Courtesan?... wife? No, none of these things were _her_.

He momentarily congratulated her in his mind of her ability to look beautiful without an income. He'd never speak a word of it to her, unless to tease her, in which case he made a note to always have this ready in case of Vanessa playing jokes on him.

For now, though, it seemed all was well. With her injuries she'd have to remain under supervision; something Ezio was sure he could pay some mercenaries to do. His uncle, oh no, he wouldn't let Ezio get a word in on her condition. Harming people unaffiliated with the Creed or the Templar's was unacceptable. No doubt his uncle would blame him before sending him off to care for her.

Vanessa coughed, snapping him from his thoughts. He knew it was nothing, but it gave his eyes a reason to linger on her form. Clean, manicured, maintenance, all these things and more. Below the layers of perfectly stitched foreign clothing, Ezio could make out Vanessa's body easily. This was why women wore skirts and dresses; to hide their legs. It was improper to show them.

Here sat Vanessa upon a horse, her legs defined for the world to see, her shirt showing more of her revealed body to his eyes; any mans eyes. She was clad but comfortable in detailed boots with laces, a shining metal pendant attached to her hip, a weapon on the other, and a black-colored bar with a clear opening.

He had to ask what that was some other time.

"What?" Vanessa had a defensive grimace on her face. She caught him pondering whilst staring at her on horseback. "Nothing bella donna, I was merely thinking."

She scoffed, "I'm surprised." She shot him a playful glare before turning her eyes to the road ahead of them. "You know, one day your teasing will come back to haunt you." Vanessa chuckled; Ezio could see half of her smile from his side. "Maybe one day, but for now, it's all I got going for me."

He knew she was commenting on her position of being stranded in an unknown country. He'd feel the same if he were in her shoes, but he'd have more in his favor. Allies, friends, connections, and people looking for him.

Ezio wondered for a moment as he had time if someone was looking for Vanessa. In her tired state asking her wasn't best as she may come to realize a sad truth or a proud topic. Ezio didn't want to take the risk; the former would destroy her already beaten form.

Then he saw it. His fascination with this dark skinned foreign woman. She was like his father, Giovanni. She was fighting for herself without giving backup a second thought. Facing her battles alone, probably afraid, but masked flawlessly with confidence anyone could mistake for cockiness.

She was a mirror image of him. She refused to allow himself aid, but only when she truly needed it; when she was doubling over from pain in the ally and Ezio supported her. Yet, the usual gestures of a gentleman went by, ignored; she was telling him they weren't necessary. She could handle herself.

Ezio's might as well have had a light blub form out of nothing above his head and flash at Vanessa. She saw his expressions change rapidly with every thought running wildly through his mind. She just trotted her horse a little farther from the expressive man and kept an eye trained on him just in case his obvious unhinged behavior flew her way.

Epiphany or not, Ezio made a pact silently with himself that aiding her wasn't the best idea, letting her go at her own pace would actually compliment her more then any other act he could possibly think of.

He needed to show her that he trusted her to watch out for herself, like a parent letting go of a child; a full grown, guard woman, child. With a weapon and short fuse.

Arriving at the open gate of Monteriggioni, Vanessa slowly lifted herself off the horse and pulled it into the small stable. Ezio stood nearby in case her injuries hindered her from dismounting. He wasn't going to baby her, but what she displayed to Leonardo earlier made his own chest ache. She needed help if they stopped her; otherwise, Ezio wasn't going to bother her.

Nodding, Vanessa followed close behind Ezio, now marveling at the sight of what could be her new home. She knew she'd have to integrate herself into society; but Monteriggioni was a safe place, somewhere Vanessa felt that she could go next door and ask for sugar. It was a small, close knit family of travelers and down to earth residents.

If not Monteriggioni, Florence, if not there apparently Vanessa couldn't live anywhere else if somehow she failed in both cities.

Of course, she predicted the usual fleeting glance at a woman living alone without a man in the house. It was sad really now that she thought about it. Coming from a time where women fought for their rights, had won, and were accepted into everyday society without a problem. Naturally though, jobs would often consider a woman closer then a man; facing discrimination charges after hiring the fourth male employee in a row wasn't pursued.

Women were still struggling to be accepted properly by others. Vanessa was slightly lucky; with her Native American background she was a minority and got jobs easier because her ancestry also gave the employing company thumbs up on diversity.

Less chance to be sued for hiring a blonde secretary with less on her resume then Vanessa did when working at Starbucks to pay for college over an older woman with so much experience under her belt she should have been hired as a manager then an accountant.

Right now, her ancestry would work against her, making people question her heritage rather then just passing it off without a second thought.

After climbing the remarkable staircase Vanessa tried to remember to ask Mario why someone would build so many stairs in a single small area; they entered the Villa Auditore and Ezio pulled out a few codex pages Leonardo deciphered and walked purposefully to the office room where they met with Mario early that morning.

"Uncle." Ezio greeted, his uncle had been looking at some a top the desk. "Ah, nipote. Were you successful at locating the book?" He approached, Ezio just shook his head and instead handed his uncle the codex scrolls. "I'm afraid not uncle, it was no where to be seen."

"No matter." Mario was sure the Templars knew many assassins around Italy; it wouldn't hurt the brotherhood if it was attacked again. The Assassin's hadn't had a break from their insistent threats for generations. No book would change it, but it would've been safer to have it in their hands.

"I've been sent from Firenze by Il Magnifico to attend to some unfinished business. I'm looking for Jacopo de' Pazzi." Ezio stated, Mario only laughed in response. "Ha! Who isn't? We've been at it for days!"

Ezio smirked at his uncle's reply. "Then perhaps what I carry with help us both; a list of his co-conspirators. One of them will talk before he dies." Mario smiled; it was a breakthrough on both sides. "Excellent! These men are sure to lack Jacopo's resources, which means they will be easier to find. I will put my scouts to it at once."

Mario bowed slightly, "I appreciated the help uncle. I've got something else for you as well; more codex pages." Ezio happily handed the decoded scrolls to his uncle. Rolling it one out before him, Mario examined the words. "Ah, let's see what we can learn."

"What is this...? What prophet...?" He tore words apart, pulling previous codex pages to mind, trying to connect an unfinished puzzle with lost pieces. Mario glanced between the scroll and Ezio, he still couldn't figure out what the pages were talking about.

"What did you find uncle?" Ezio looked to the back of the scroll curiously, "Just another damn mystery! The text here roughly translates to; "Only the prophet may open it..." There's reference to two "Pieces of Eden." But these pages offer no answers, nipote. At least not on their own. You must find more."

"We'll have to save it for another day uncle. I have a mission to attend to."

Vanessa blinked. He couldn't be serious. _Prophet? Pieces of Eden? The book! Speak up you dolt!_

"Wait, hold up!" Both men stopped, Mario was ready to continue on Ezio's mission but stuck midway. "I know that! Only the prophet may open it. There's more to it if I could just remember it all..."

Ezio flashed looks between his uncle and her to the codex page in his uncle's hands. "How do you know about it when we only just discovered it? I doubt anyone has read these pages since they were written." He accused, not forcefully; but Vanessa was quickly showing she knew too much for her own good.

"The book with the list! It had a lot of other things in it. On one page there was a circle with markings all over it, the words were "Only the prophet may open it" and another one... It didn't make any sense at the time but whatever it said was the about the prophet that scroll's talking about."

Mario stepped forward. "What was the name of this book? Was it written by a man named Altair?" She shook her head, "No, but his named was mentioned a lot, talking about something he did a long time ago."

Ezio didn't believe this; Leonardo just translated this scroll a few hours ago and Vanessa's claiming to have heard of it beforehand. Or maybe it wasn't beforehand, maybe it was the future? She's never wavered from her story, if she is from the future then someone must've read and written the translations down sometime in the future.

Her past, his future.

He sighed, that was too confusing. He had to stop thinking about it before he gave himself a headache. "Something about being in a floating city." She decided to save cursing herself out for later; she needed to remember more about it. That little bit wasn't doing anyone any favors. Mario was clearly pushing her on, hoping to get more answers out of her.

"Who wrote that book anyways?" Ezio broke Vanessa's concentration. "Who could possibly know of such things? So many things, names of Templars and Assassin's, now what the codex pages are prophesying..." He trailed off; Vanessa remembered the author of the book or journal easily.

"Rodrigo Borgia." She shrugged, it didn't matter who wrote it but what was inside that counted.

The two relatives shared a concerned looked before turning back to Vanessa. She felt their quiet stares; they'd start burning holes if she didn't pull them out of their trance. "What? I'm sorry I can't remember much about the stupid journal! I swear I'm trying to remember as much as I can, but if you couldn't tell at the time it wasn't the most important thing going wrong in my life!" She defended, causing Ezio to reel back and Mario to rest a hand on her shoulder.

"Calm down madonna, we're not upset you cannot remember. The author of this book does greatly concern us though." He gestured her to walk with him, away from Ezio and to the bookshelf behind the desk. "Rodrigo Borgia is behind all of this, if you don't know that already." She shook her head lightly. Mario scanned the shelves, pulled a book and the entire shelf slid back, groaning loudly as it receded within the wall.

"Whoa." Vanessa gulped. She was in the fifteenth-century with two men now walking down a massive stone staircase (again with the stairs) to a hidden underground basement. Something Vanessa didn't want to be doing and desperately wished this was just a route to another exit or to an underground stable, things usually didn't go well when walking arsenals led people below.

Dungeons. Torture chambers. She may have said some choice words; was Borgia so bad? Sure he was a corrupt leader, but then who wasn't? Accepting bribes, slaughtering enemies mercilessly, did they think she was on his side because she had his journal? Surely popes didn't just go around selling their journals as souvenirs.

"Hey, listen, I'm sorry I can't tell you everything I read in the journal." She shrugged; she didn't want to know what was at the end of these stairs. "Like I said, I'm from the future and on my way back to the-" She corrected herself, using their terms. "-barracks to turn my uniform in I had stopped at a local library and was looking for a few books on Spain or the Spanish language; then I found the book, figured it'd be nice to have, bought it then read it. That's all I can honestly tell you, the rest is kinda' blurry."

Mario sensed her sudden spike in fear, just the look on her face told him she was expecting something else completely when they arrived at the bottom step. "Do not worry piccino, we aren't angry with you." He chuckled, Ezio almost missed the entire meaning when his uncle stepped beside Vanessa and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I, unlike my nipote, believe you. I'm aware that no matter what I know there is always much more to learn, the mystery of this world outweighs my knowledge a hundred times over. I am more then willing to accept that which I am ignorant of given the chance." He smiled to the woman under his arm.

Vanessa saw the room Mario led her to. To her relief, it was only a large room filled with seven statues. The one in the center differed from the rest with a sturdy metal grating protecting the armor Vanessa could see stored at the feet of the statue within. Whatever man the statue was modeled after meant to the Assassin's more then the others.

"Ness," Mario preferred her full name, but did as she wished. Apparently she didn't agree with his taste in names. "That man is Altair, he wrote these codex pages hundreds of years ago to warn us of the future. Soon, that day will be upon us and we must be prepared for anything." He explained, showing her the codex in his hand. "What you may know could be very important to us; though if you find you cannot remember no matter how hard you try, please, do not concern yourself with the mumblings of Assassins." He chuckled.

Scanning the room, Vanessa could read a few names, no one she knew, but all equal. "Rodrigo Borgia is the Grandmaster of the Templar order. He is our greatest enemy." She bit her lip, "It is imperative that you avoid his men at all costs. You are associated with us Assassin's, they will soon discover you and perhaps your knowledge; I will ask you to remain in Monteriggioni until otherwise safe and I understand if you deny my wishes."

Vanessa calmly smiled, eyes closed. She was relived that they'd at least want to protect her from their problems; she wanted to stay in Monteriggioni anyways. It would be much easier to adjust to life with Ezio and Mario around to show her how life works in the fifteenth-century. That is, of course, if they had the time to show her.

She had to make sure someone would, even if she had to go all the way back to Florence to learn. "On one condition." Mario grinned, she was a good woman, nice where it mattered, but he didn't know her well enough. He'd go along with her cautiously, waiting to hear she was with Templars or a spy. He'd be ready in case. "Anything madonna."

"I want a job." She stated matter-of-factly. "I'd rather be part of guards in Monteri-" Vanessa cleared her throat; she just realized she never actually said Monteriggioni properly. She couldn't pronounce the word. "-Here, but to be compliant, I'll take work as a physical trainer or something of equal worth."

Mario was stunned, a woman asking to take part as a guardsman -woman- rather then the usual seamstress or nun. He knew fine well many women hated both positions and he was no stranger to the courtesans; but as a soldier?

"I'd like to see what you can do before I agree." He said carefully, "Naturally. I had to undergo thorough training just to be on the force, but I was once SWAT." She shrugged, not even realizing the confused look Mario gave her.

Vanessa wasn't even paying attention to Ezio who stood silently in the background, watching a woman swindle his uncle for florin.

"Swat?" He questioned, seeing Vanessa laugh at herself.

"Special weapons and tactics. It's a high risk job, but we work our way through hard training before even being considered to join a SWAT teams rank. We'd deal in hostage situations, riots; we do our best to resolve dangerous situations to save hostages, various other things. It's been some time since I could even do half that stuff, but I have the training under my belt; I can teach others given the supplies." She ran through quickly, she wasn't SWAT anymore, she kept that job barely a year.

"You say you are a _police_ officer now you say SWAT." Mario mulled the new idea, "Why do you say you meet those requirements now?"

Vanessa pulled up the sleeve of her left arm. "I was shot, unfortunately for me it was a shotgun at near point black; shattered the bone. I can't hold the rifles we'd use as a SWAT team anymore. I'd be a liability on the team though they'd keep me; I decided it was best not to stay. So I became a cop instead."

Mario didn't know what a shotgun was; he still wanted to ask questions. "Before you ask-" Vanessa saw him about to speak up to ask her about it. "A shotgun is basically a gun," She pulled out her pistol. "About three times this size depending on model. It fires rounds about twice the size of these," She popped out the clip, showing Mario the size of her pistols' bullets. "Which pretty much explode upon penetrating skin. I actually should say I was extremely lucky to survive; he was aiming for my head and missed."

Mario nodded; a guard of any gender would face the same life threatening obstacles. He'd give her the chance she needed, "We will hold a sparring match and then we will see."

He held his hand out which was taken happily by Vanessa, "Just remember, bad arm doesn't mean I can teach a bunch of soldiers how to compose themselves. I know what to do even if I can't do all of it anymore."

"Of course." He released her hand, "You both must be tired, go, get some rest. I believe Ezio will be quite busy by day break."

* * *

Vanessa shivered, the underground room was colder then the entire house and after entering the heat of Monteriggioni, she relaxed greatly.

Ezio was to lead her to her room once more, Vanessa liked his gentleman behavior though not a word passed her lips, she'd still appreciate the gestures and the offers. Such manners weren't displayed in the modern era; her modern era at least.

As he led her up the stairs, Ezio stopped to look at a painting, causing Vanessa to stand a little ahead of him, wondering if she should just continue on to her room or if he wants to speak with her. Turned out, it was the second option.

"Vanessa," He broke the silence, "I am sorry we couldn't find that book for you." He sounded sincere; Vanessa just knew the assassin had to have some senses beyond the usual run, stab, and swoon over women. "I do hope that some day soon we will be able to return you to your home; _when_ever it may be." He bowed politely.

"Thanks Ezio." She walked up and embraced him in light hug. "For letting me stay here with you and Mario despite your... _difficulties_. I really have no where else to go anymore."

Ezio hugged her back; a little surprised by the sudden action, but accepted it anyways. "No worries bella, we will take care of you until your return home safely."

"I hope I didn't set up any red flags after telling you guys it was Borgia's journal I was reading." They broke the hug. Ezio rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "It did, but not on your behalf. We trust you enough to welcome you in our home, if we did not, you wouldn't be here; much less alive."

Punching his arm, Vanessa sneered. "Well that makes me feel better." She rolled her eyes, Ezio did a dramatic bow. "You're most welcome madam."

"Sarcasm."

He huffed, "I knew that. I was replying sarcastically." Vanessa simply turned around and began walking to her door; not too far from where Ezio now stood.

"If I stay here in Monteriggioni, perhaps you can show me a few of your assassin skills; y'know, just in case." She opened the door, "You'll have to ask my uncle about that, he'd be very cross if I did so without his permission tesora."

"Oh shut up, womanizer."

* * *

**_Review Replies:_**

**_flyingcrispi:_**_ No problem. Well, unless I'm in the hospital, on vacation, or otherwise preoccupied. Then no, but generally; yes. :D_

_I KNOW I KNOW I SUCK. I cannot believe that I did that! GRRRR. I know the difference, my family started insisting that I use only the upstairs computer. The keyboard is new so all the keys are sticky and difficult to maneuver! I have a hard time typing "?" instead of "/" on it! I swear I hate it so hard..._

_But at least you got a laugh out of it! Ezio is the sexiest Italian man ever. :)_

_Yeah, there's a lot of things Vanessa can do more so then just about any person in the fifteenth-century. Excluding our lovable polymath Leonardo. But her future job won't actually be clear until a few more chapters. No, just because she prefers to be a guard as she was in NYC or ATL doesn't mean she'll be in Monteriggioni! Just that she leans towards a familiar position._

_We'll see more later. :)_

_I LOVE LONG. I really do, no that's not an innuendo like many people would believe. Yes I only realized it after I typed this._

_No I will not edit it out. x)_

**_Isis the Sphinx:_**_ Yeah, I know. At least I'm not nagging on about how it is. :)  
I know there are a lot of "thrown into 1191/1478-1497+" stories out there for Assassin's Creed (1/2) but I loved the idea of a cop in fifteenth-century Italy and a few other ideas yet to appear in the story so I will withhold them._

_Oh yes, and I've always had an obsession with Sphinx's. I don't know why. I love them. I draw a lot and they tend to be a reoccuring character in many drawings. So naturally, your name strikes me. I love your username, I am jealous. We will continue the story now. :D_

_Thanks for reviewing of course!_

**_Mazzax:_**_ Oooo, perhaps, perhaps not. You'll never know! I mean... at least... until that time appears... UNTIL THEN! :D  
I like readers who get themselves involved in my story. Not in an egotistical way, for me or the reader. :P I mean that when readers are guessing about my story, that I make it to where it's at least somewhat interesting to their minds; I feel successful!_

_You are my success! YAY!  
Natually, thanks for reviewing. :)_

**_crystalfeathers: _**_I love how you're all over my stories Crystal! :)_

_True, all very true. Who pays attention in school though? I don't actually know the answer, I'm homeschooled! :D  
Anyways, my point is that Vanessa grew up poor in NYC and in ATL, her education makes fifteenth-century nobles look like two year-olds reading "_The Tale of Two Cities_." And failing._

_So, with Vanessa's limitless knowledge well beyond their time, she can do a lot. But not much that won't interfere with history. Am I right? Kukuku._

_Read, I suppose :P, to see where this is going. Her future job isn't actually what it seems right now. Things change, things happen, you can't predict the future!_


	7. Guardman

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**Secrets in History.**

By Kaimaler.

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**_______Oh yes! Please, take the opportunity to go to my user page and at the very top they'll be a "Poll", please! Vote! Your vote counts! :D  
_**_______When it's over, I'll rally the votes and publish my new story! I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone chooses! Currently, only two people have voted so I'm sad right now. But! With any luck (of which I have NONE) more people will go and vote on the poll while they have the chance._

You can decide my next story! Though options are limited I'm willing to hear any suggestions, send me a PM if you have any at all! I may say yes! :)

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everyone's heard it all before!

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She had to learn it all the hard way. She growled to herself, her torso still pounding.

_Stupid fucking dealer and his stupid fucking gun!_ She swore she'd do anything just to wait another day before Mario put her in the ring; he wanted to see what she could do and although she could easily take out a full grown man in hand-to-hand combat as she was trained to do so as SWAT, she was limited by her previous injuries.

With Leonardo's wrappings, she could barely move her upper body. He wrapped the bandages so tight and they were so thick that every now and then she'd discover yet another action she couldn't completely thanks to him.

She didn't actually blame him for her current position, but she needed to vent at someone and right now Leonardo and Ezio seemed like punching bags.

Vanessa was half-concerned that when she saw Ezio she'd use him as such; unfortunately, the painter was far more delicate so she couldn't do that to him. She'd have to let it all out on this poor mercenary before she even saw Ezio again or he'd be black and blue all over.

This man though not huge was still held a larger frame then her and he was reluctant to step in the ring with a woman as his opponent.

She could tell he was planning on going easy; his stance said it all. Sloppy, unconcerned, careless, Vanessa had to love these cocky men, so sure of success they failed to even ask if she had been trained before or look into her background before jumping in.

They all expected her to fail; this was her training to them. To her, naturally, it was them paying the consequences for their bad coordination in battle and with a melee weapon.

It didn't take long for this mercenary to realize that she wasn't a normal fifteenth-century courtesan forcing her way into the ranks of men.

The moment the man approached her, Vanessa struck first as it was clear he wasn't going to try and attack. Her torso lit up, fire burned through her upper body like she was on fire.

This was her only chance, she wasn't about to ask Mario if she could wait until her injuries healed over to spar. In a fight, both suffer wounds and broken bones; mentioning that her torso hurt too much to fight would only ruin her opportunity.

She didn't have to do much; a simple display of skill would suffice for this mercenary. Vanessa felt she was cheating, leading him on to believe she wasn't anything more then _just_ a fifteenth-century woman.

With his attention on his friends outside the ring, Vanessa grabbed his shoulders and forced the man to double over; his stomach met her knee on the way down. First strike was always the easiest against an opponent; as she predicted, the man reassessed himself. He made sure she knew he wouldn't take that from anyone, man or woman.

He threw fist after fist, barely any hitting her as she dodged the man's attacks. He was slow and couldn't even punch properly, so if she was hit, it wouldn't be anywhere near as bad as if Daniel and her were sparring again. He could throw a punch and knock a man's lights out.

As soon as she saw him tiring out, she dove into him, bared the heel of her palm and struck upwards, forcing the man to stumble. Swiftly, she swung a kick to his ribcage and as he turned away from her, his side exposed, she kicked the back of his knee, knocking him to his knees. Even with her torso burning, it was all too easy to bring an untrained man to the ground.

Placing a foot against the man's side, she shoved him away. He couldn't fight right, but he could take a beating of which Vanessa hadn't dealt.

He grabbed onto her ankle pulling it right from under her, she fell to the dirt instantly while the man got ready to strike. Looming over her he seemed much bigger in comparison, yet Vanessa was built tough too.

He got a few off, to her stomach and face before Vanessa finally got the chance to take power for herself. He left himself open for rebuttal. Vanessa lashed out quickly, delivering a few sharp blows to his abdomen and while he flinched, she took his arm, rolled from underneath him and jumped onto his back in record time.

Vanessa took his arm with her, careful not to actually break it; she pulled it behind him harshly. He could hold her weight no problem, but in a vulnerable position; throwing her off wasn't an option.

With his arm leveraged behind him, her weight pressing on the now useless limb, the man struggled for a way out. She clinged to his back like a monkey, not even allowing him room to reach back and grab her.

Before he could conjure up a way to escape, Vanessa decided that if he wanted to fight dirty like any mercenary does; so would she. Leaning back, she forced a leg between his legs, threatening that which all men hold so dearly. He felt and when he looked down, he could see the knee positioned just perfectly to force him into a very unexpected womanhood.

"Yield." She stated, watching as he still tried to find a way out. Defeated by a woman? Unheard of, like so many _other_ things in this century. With his brothers in arms nearby, Vanessa saw it only the sweeter of a victory and a time to put this arrogant mercenary in his place. "I said _yield_, sir."

He growled, mumbling to himself while onlookers waited for him to overpower her and win. Of course they'd imagine that; anatomy was well known in this era, but it wasn't so much so that everyone knew that when your arm is leveraged behind your back and you can feel your opponent readying themselves to snap it and, for the male gender only, an uncomfortable knee placed strategically so if you move pain with wreck your system before you can fight back.

"I yield." He answered as if it was tasteless. She smiled and was ready to release all pressure. "No cheap shots now or I will turn you into a woman." He grimaced before nodding in agreement.

Stepping off the man's back, she felt the rush of adrenalin wear off, her injuries coming back to repay her in kind for all the lost chances to cause her pain.

Ezio saw this; he was on the sidelines beside his uncle just watching the match. The man couldn't do much; he was slow but strong, forceful yet lacked finesse. When she reached the small wall separating the ring from the entertained folk; Vanessa leaned on it.

Mario smiled, "Very good, I am impressed." He knew the man wasn't his best soldier, but he wanted to test Vanessa, not kill her in the process. As he saw Vanessa grasping her stomach his brows furrowed. "I didn't think he hit you that hard, madonna."

"Ah~" Vanessa swung her legs over the small brick wall, "He didn't, I still have this injury from a while ago. Leonardo tended to it, but it still hurts." She groaned, standing in front of the two relatives, "Anyways, was that enough for you?"

"For now, yes, yet I would like to see what _kind_ of training you spoke of before I make my final decision." Vanessa shrugged, "Course, but doesn't Ezio have somewhere to be? Like, now?"

Ezio glared a moment, "I should be on my way; Jacopo's men surely have plans to move." Mario turned to his nephew, "Correct, you must move quickly nipote. I will watch over Vanessa until you return, good luck." Ezio turned to leave, glimpsing the mercenaries argue and scold each other before leaving the Villa.

In truth he was interested in seeing how she did and in secret, concerned for her discovered bruises all across her torso. She was strange, putting it kindly, demanding, understating it, yet kept a form of manners that could almost be mistaken for none at all. Short tempered and had a sense of power behind her form. She was slightly muscular, tall, and if not for her sheer strength, she'd be considered very valuable to nobility.

There she stood in Villa Auditore sparring as if she'd be doing it for years. Of course, she could've been as far as he knew. Counting out her being a guard in her time and telling him about her arrival from the _future_ (if that was even true), he didn't know Vanessa beyond her name and job.

Who were her parents? Nobles or peasants? Was she an orphan? Did she have siblings? If so, how many, brothers or sisters? He couldn't believe he had trusted anyone so readily, yet there she was, in the Villa with his uncle petitioning for a position in the guards.

How odd. How truly odd. He ignored thoughts of her home, of who she really is. Family, friends, business partners, he had to. He was on a mission.

In Villa Auditore, Vanessa was in the office with Mario, discussing her plans for training and what she'd require from him in order to proceed.

She had interest in being a soldier once, it was quickly overlooked though, she had a home and running off to join the army wasn't a good idea, at least, not until she felt physically and mentally able to take on the responsibilities of a soldier in training. Clearly with her permanent disability to hold over a certain weight on her arm, joining the army was no longer possible.

Many would question her judgment as to why she'd do something like that when she had a life unfinished in the States. She would to and so she stayed. Financially able to do as she pleased, she left New York City and arrived in Atlanta. She preferred the area, city but quickly turns into country if you leave it.

As infamous as the crime rates in Atlanta were, Vanessa was decent at her job; with the golden court room rule "Innocent Until Proven Guilty", she did all she could by it. Sometimes, though, criminals would slip through legal hands and wind up right back where they were before.

She hated how it worked, of course, but she respected the system as much as she could without touching a political basis.

After speaking about the training and workouts she intended for the mercenaries as they were done to her in basic training and the exercises she took on before her limiting injury when she planned on joining the military. Mario didn't say a single thing the entire time, only nodded and listening closely.

Vanessa was concerned he didn't approve of most of it, but as she explained the mechanics behind it she was sure he wasn't shooting down what she said yet carefully calculating what the training could bring to his mercenaries and Monteriggioni before deciding if her plans were beneficial.

It was rigorous training, hard work, it would aid the mercenaries in many ways that he hadn't thought of beforehand.

He wouldn't decide that day, instead, he'd ask time to consider the exercise program she suggested to improve his mercenaries combat skills. Vanessa held nothing against him, knowing it was a big choice, something that could either hurt or strengthen the mercenaries to Monteriggioni.

As the day began to wind down, Vanessa found herself in the company of none other then Ezio's sister, Claudia. She had to be from a somewhat wealthy family though.

She couldn't stand the company of the complaining woman, angrily mentioning how Mario has her working and back home her father never made her do such things. Vanessa was beginning to think he should've made her do so much more, perhaps she'd appreciate the fact that she's even alive after the hanging of her brothers and father, the sudden banker in-training to Assassin in-training surviving brother.

Who saved her and her mother when he could've died himself. Vanessa calmed the urge to shout at the young woman, ordering her to get over it, life is life, and nothing is fair; something, anything to stop her whining.

She was content leaving Claudia in the middle of a sentence, denying her calls. Vanessa headed straight to her room; Count was outside enjoying the town, attacking lawbreakers, doing all he could do for Monteriggioni, the hound loved his job as a K-9 unit more then Vanessa did. She momentarily missed his company, petting him and babying him.

For now she sat alone in a room, even though it could be said she had mute company already. Ezio's mother, Maria, kneeled at the bed praying; to whom and for what, Vanessa only guessed it was about her late husband Giovanni and her lost sons. Vanessa found the sight quite saddening, the woman secluded herself to the bedroom, offering little more then Ezio's comfort knowing she was alive though harmed.

From what Vanessa knew, it was years since his family was torn apart and his training as an Assassin began; he wasn't aware of their existence or of the Templar's until he learned how to fight with his uncle Mario as his tutor.

She knew all she needed to without Ezio's permission; it was his life after all she was digging into. Mario was his uncle, but he wasn't there, he may feel the same loss just not on the same level as Ezio. If she ever knew him well enough or got the chance, she'd ask him, not go snooping around behind his back.

Ezio had Mario, Mario had his entire mercenary army of Monteriggioni, they both had the Assassin's, Claudia had Ezio, Leonardo, Maria, friends and distant family; so on and so forth.

Vanessa couldn't help but wonder; who did she have? Was anyone even trying to look for her?

* * *

It hadn't been long, only a few days, he tried as hard as he could, but the evidence didn't support any of his first thoughts. She couldn't have been kidnapped; there wasn't a single person on the cameras. Although there were elsewhere in the precinct, there wasn't a single camera in the locker room due to the law.

He had to find out with what he had found and it wasn't much; it wasn't anything, but he had to look at it positively, he couldn't give up.

Vanessa was the closest friend he ever had.

She was out there, somewhere, he had to find her. His mind was erratic; he was taken off the case as it was also law that a police man or woman who has emotional attachments to any person in a case file couldn't be affiliated with it.

Instead he was inclined to take a temporary leave. Daniel admitted he was frantic at first, when she came into Atlanta she wouldn't talk to a soul unless it was about work and usually she'd just email them, ask them that way or put a report on her bosses' desk and leave it at that.

It was only after he made an attempt to approach her that he found out she simply enjoyed silence, the short isolation she'd get after drifting off into her own thoughts of work, hobbies, or anything else. He was so relieved when he found out that she was actually a very kind hearted woman.

At first other people guessed she was strange and strayed from her sight, yet now, with his friendship, they became inseparable. He became a brother to her and she a sister to him; soon enough, everyone talked to her.

When she explained her reasoning for requesting such a long distance transfer he understood immediately. She loved being able to get away, the fact she lived in the fray but had her own escapism by going outside of Atlanta, hitting the north Atlanta Metro area was her favorite and she showed him why first hand. They traveled to the mountains, to the open fields, they saw more things in the country then they ever did inside the city.

Daniel lived in Atlanta nearly his whole life, but he hated to say that he never thought once of heading a little north. Funny thing was, it didn't take so long to reach it either.

He amused himself, running a nervous hand through his hair; Daniel would tell anyone that he feared for her. She was an attractive woman, a nice one, but she wasn't a weak one; if something happened to her, if she was kidnapped, the person holding her would have to be strong, forceful, and very, very persuasive.

Daniel dreaded Vanessa's mouth and attempts for freedom would be the death of her; assuming she wasn't dead already.

"No, damn it. Shut up." He growled, he couldn't take the anxiety. He kept his cell near him, fully charged every day. He couldn't sleep, he felt sick since the moment she was reported missing. His own thoughts wandering to the most likely of events wasn't helping.

So he decided to help her himself. Without authorization, as they'd just deny it, he had seen all the security tapes, went through the evidence room and picked out what he could find.

Out of nostalgia though, he took an item or two from her belongings.

Vanessa wore a necklace she told him was her mother's. She'd want it if they found her and he wanted to be the one to hand it back to her. Once he saw it, he felt determined to take it with him.

He remembered teasing her over it, "_Why Spain?"_ He'd ask, _"Because the people are beautiful._" She'd answer without a word more; he just found her musings adorable. She was a sister to him, one he wished he knew earlier in his life just so he could've had more time with her.

The old leather hide book hand written in Spanish, she wanted to read it so bad she climbed him to get it. He let out a sad laugh, it was the last night he saw her; anyone saw her.

His mind wandered, again. _If someone hurt her I swear I'll kill them._ He was angry; he had to find some way to let out his heartbreak. She was so close to him, trusted him with her dark secrets just as he did, when someone broke into her house he was there all the time, watching her, checking the area; he protected her when she was vulnerable and felt helpless.

In turn, when he needed someone to reassure him, she was there picked him up and getting him back on his feet. Without fail, she'd be there just as he'd always be there for her.

He had to find her even if it meant searching endlessly, if it threatened his relationships he'd be okay with that; he _had _to be there for her.

In one hand, Vanessa's priceless necklace intertwined through his fingers; it wasn't worth much, an old metal necklace that was worn down, it was invaluable to her though so it made it gold in his eyes. In the other hand, her newest collection of Spanish books rested. It looked ready to fall apart if he breathed on it the wrong way.

It probably would. He held the two notable items in his hands knowing these were the last things Vanessa carried with her, the last things she touched.

He thought long and hard about what could've happened to her, if someone took her, attacked her or... _No, not that. Please not that._ He groaned, a lot of bad things happened in the girl's life, she never had a real family, but she was fine with that. She made a point that because she never actually knew her parents, she couldn't miss them.

It was valid. You can't miss what you never had. It was easy to get over the topic after that, they even joked about her being an alien human born of unnatural means.

She loved that, it was always a joke she laughed at. So he always found a new way to deliver it.

Vanessa told him that her foster parents gave it to her when she was old enough to care for it herself; they told her it was her birth mother's necklace given to them by the orphanage when they adopted her. It was a personal request that the necklace reach the girl and they did exactly that. She never took it off when she wasn't working. It was her crowning jewel.

The necklace was more her mother then the foster mother was.

It had been a few days, he had to keep track. The department would announce her dead after a certain time, without any leads, Daniel couldn't even move forward with his own private operation to reclaim Vanessa alive... or her body.

He flipped through the book once or twice, mindlessly messing with the pages. He couldn't read Spanish, he didn't know any other languages but his own; alas, he found comfort in the book's oddly warm pages and the warm light they emitted.

He knew Vanessa was reading this, when it was found it was open, pages turning lazily. It was dropped on the ground, that much was as clear as day, but it meant someone had to come in without her noticing them, without her even feeling them.

The thought of her being murdered was too much for him to bear, but thinking she was captive to some maniac or criminal with a grudge made him hate himself. He shouldn't have left until she did, he felt guilty even though he knew it wasn't his fault; he just wanted to feel something other then hopelessness. _What could they be doing to her? Was she hurt? Do I want to know what's happening to her right now?_ Daniel cried out, the ache increasing with every gradually increasing fear.

He couldn't help her, she was gone. She could be dead in a gutter, a captive to a perverted psychopath, all these things the opposite of what he was dying to know.

Her safety, her healthy; it was unlikely. He viciously held onto the hope that all they'd do is break a bone or two, she could deal with that as she had done in the past, and at least it would be better then everything else they could do to a woman in her position with her kind of enemies.

With pained thoughts of his close friend, his chosen sister, Daniel fell into a white sleep. It was almost like staring at the sun, but it went away too quickly for him to comprehend what happened.

That he was clutching the book in his hands, Vanessa's necklace with it as he felt a sensation like falling.

And finally; nothing else, just a dreamless sleep.

* * *

**_Review Replies:_**

**_Mazzax:  
_**_Oh, you mean that they are not archers, right? For a moment I thought this was a flame. D:  
I was rather disturbed that NO MERCENARIES EVER could use anything but a claymore and a battle axe. It's really sad, really, really, sad. :P_

_Ooooo, Daniel? HERE? FIFTEENTH-CENTURY WAAAAT.  
Who knows, let's see where this goes for our poor, slowlyloosinghismind, Assassin. :)_

**_flyingcrispi:  
_**_I LIKE LONG REVIEWS THOUGH. I do, I really love it when a reader puts their thoughts into their review, it makes me feel like they're actually "reading" it and paying attention. It's comforting. :)_

_Well, in this chapter all we can see is Vanessa trying to do her part. Nothing else because Vanessa has many a trouble ahead of her. Various things like: Assassin's, Templars, Daniel (weeeeee), Count, Mario, assaults, threats on her life, etc. etc. Y'know, the normal: "IKNOWANASSASSINLOLROFL" roll. :D_

_And I like Ezio's idea that Vanessa isn't from the future like she said: WHO'D BELIEVE THAT? (iwouldmaybepossiblewhoknows) So he'd feel a need to find out more about her rather then just accept it, even if Leonardo's wonderfully exotic, energetic, and open mind is. LEONARDO ROXORZ LAWL_

_I'm sorry, I'm in _that_ kind of a mood today. :)_

**_crystalfeathers:  
_**_8D_

_Which is Leonardo. Wait. I mean Vanessa. DAMMIT  
Yeah, I guessed because of Leonardo's wonderful imagination that he'd believe it quicker and easier then Ezio. After all, Ezio didn't believe Leonardo when he said he thought he figured out how to make a man fly.  
Look at him now! Flying around in Leonardo's flying machine, doing crazy stunts and stuff. :)_

**_Isis the Sphinx:  
_**_Isn't Egyptian Mythology the most interesting? You always hear about Greek, Roman, and various other kinds, but surprisingly though Egyptian Mythology is well known, it isn't used as much today as other Mythology is. :(  
It's a shame, I love learning about the ancient Egyptian culture but no one ever tries to bring it to light that much anymore. It's always a touchy subject some reason. -shrug-_

_And you're most welcome. I prefer _talking_ to my readers rather then just saying "Thanks for reviewing, I'm a selfish author!" Because, y'know I am selfish, but at least I don't go right out and say it. :)_

_Anyways... ERM. Grazie for reviewing! :D_


	8. Tall Tales

**Secrets in History.**

By Kaimaler.

* * *

_**HEY! You want news on my stories? Or maybe you just want to chat.  
Come on, there's a link on my page! Follow me on Twitter under the same name; Kaimaler  
If you have a natural spite towards Twitter, never fear! Catch me on Facebook!: Caitlyn Miller.  
There are LINKS to BOTH ACCOUNTS on my FanFiction USERPAGE. Right up by the avatar, you can't miss it!**_

_**Try me on Skype! :D  
G . Kaimaler**_

_**Or PM me for my Meebo information! :)**_

__Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everyone's heard it all before!

* * *

Vanessa didn't spend time messing around, the moment she was given the supplies she wanted she got straight to work. The rope and the stakes were perfect tools to build a footing exercise. It would keep the mercenaries on their feet, help them maneuver quicker, dodge strikes faster and more effectively.

That was just the beginning to.

Once Ezio returned from his trip and reported to Mario, Vanessa requested aid with a few things. With a few men helping her, including Ezio, she built a large wall with a rope dangling from the top. It would work two ways, to see if these mercenaries could lift their own body weight and the other was to remove the rope and see how well their teamwork stood up to a time limit.

It was a way to force teamwork, quick thinking, and speed into everyday life as a guard or mercenary.

At the beginning, for now at least, she'd start them off with easy tasks. To climb an obstacle, to maneuver with expert agility, and to hold onto your teammate as if he was a brother; at times that meant using them like a ladder to jump the next obstacle then pulling them along for the rest of the ride.

How she loved training in the rain, the mud, the fact that she could barely see past her own nose. All great things hindering her progress yet all aiding her for a more successful future within law enforcement, previously SWAT. Another thing she missed dearly.

It was taking hours just to build the obstacle course, but it would take days to finish it. As she completed the first obstacle though she had rounded it up without tangling the rope and wood, had one of Mario's mercenaries help her and, with him, chose a clear space just outside Monteriggioni's walls, near a mine shaft.

The mercenary would chuckle every time she'd make a mistake and correct herself, only serving to make her more determined to set up the obstacles. Sharing an embarrassed laugh or two, the first one was ready for testing.

He stared at it for a moment, wondering what they were supposed to do and, naturally, found himself asking. "Ah, forgive me madonna, but... what is this?" He gestured to the crossing ropes.

"It's purpose is to force you to be more aware of your footing and keeping speed, here, watch." Vanessa stood back a few feet from the obstacle and took off into a brisk jog, sliding one foot into a clear space, looking down and keeping track of where she stepped while running, ending up on the other side without a problem.

"See? I had to see what I did so I didn't trip." She smiled, Vanessa still could do all the training courses with expert skill. The man looked at the obstacle, "I can do that madonna, no problem." He cackled, considering the run to merely be a woman's training.

'Then do it." She dared, crossing her arms on the opposite side of the obstacle.

The mercenary nodded, a smug grin plastered on his face. He stepped up to the edge of the robe net, his first mistake, believing he could make it just by jumping straight in. Right before he started, Vanessa snickered, watching him take each step slowly into between the ropes. "Faster." She nodded to him, he stopped and huffed.

Smirking, the mercenary tried to move a little faster and by the time Vanessa took her place a few feet away from the obstacle, taking a few deep breaths, she darted through the course. Her feet bouncing up from the ground the second her toes touched the grass; she repeated this until she stood on the other side, panting slightly.

"That's what I mean by _faster_." The mercenary glared momentarily and tried to move as she did, ending up lifting his leg above his waist just to take one step. When he finished, Vanessa sighed, giggling at his self-accomplishment.

"See madonna, I did it."

Shaking her head, she used her index and middle finger in motion to signify running. "You have to move faster. It's designed to push you, so in questionable terrain, you move fast but don't lose sense of your surroundings. It's a very valuable skill in a battle."

His brows furrowed and looked back down to the rope course he'd just finished and, after a few contemplative moments; the mercenary nodded slowly, turned to her, and shook his head with a bright smile. "Ah, now I get it." He walked around the obstacle, meeting Vanessa on the other side. "That's a good idea."

"Not mine, I don't know who thought it up, but I was forced to learn it like any other trainee." She shrugged, turning around to begin their walk back into Monteriggioni. She was going to need a lot more than one mercenary to build the next part of the course.

Yet, as she strode back into the small city, Vanessa was swept away with the time. It was growing dark and suddenly, she felt an wash of tiredness overcome her.

Dismissing the mercenary who had accompanied her then she walked straight back to the manor, expecting a very flirtatious and somewhat undignified greeting by Ezio. And it was just what she got.

"Ah, bella donna." He welcomed, bowing slightly, a grin plastered across his face. "I was expecting you when I returned, only to have discovered that you were out building something just outside the Villa walls."

"I think you could survive without me distracting you." Vanessa huffed, waving the young man off like a fly. "I had work to do today anyways. Mario picked up on some of my training ideas and let me get started early. Took over three hours just to find the supplies, measure the damn things, and then build it up. Still there's only one section done."

Ezio laughed, "Perhaps it is time to rest?" He nudged her slightly while looking over her dirty clothes. "Ugh, as much as I hate trying to wear anything else, these clothes seriously need a good washing."

"I shall send them to the tailors in the morning." He offered. Vanessa shrugged, "That'd be nice, unfortunately, I have no money... Or no money that would work as currency in Italy. Or Europe for that matter. So I'm afraid I'll have to find a way to wash them here and dry them, then get to work tomorrow."

"No need," He insisted, she did look rather scruffy. "I have bought most of the shops in Monteriggioni; the tailor owes me for some of his more recent renovations."

_Okay, that's useful._ Vanessa grinned, she would like her uniform cleaned properly, but the best she could do is the local tailor. Of course, since it's free, she wasn't about to pass up the opportunity nor the kind offer. From Ezio nonetheless.

"That'd be nice Ezio, thanks." She beamed at the assassin, unbuttoning her over shirt and pulling it off. "I'll need something to change into while these are cleaned."

Ezio replied with a suggestive look, "Well, there is that dress I-"

"No." She shook her head, "Pants, sleeveless shirt, boots, and a belt. Nothing else or I'll wear nothing."

_Don't say it... _Vanessa tensed, waiting for the inevitable reply. "Well, madonna, that is an idea of equal worth." With a sly grin, Ezio began to follow her up the stairs. "Oh shut it." She lightly shoved him back, forcing him back down a step before climbing to the top with her.

"Very well, I shall see to it that you receive the same clothing as a man," He promised, grimacing as he imagined her wearing a man's work outfit. "Though it will be hideous..."

"I'm not a fashion diva Ezio; I just want clothes to work in since my uniform is a downright mess." She looked back down to her clothing, they did look particularly filthy. "Thanks Ezio, I'll toss the clothes out to you." And with that, she slipped into the bedroom, leaving Ezio to wait just outside the door.

Once done, Vanessa tossed the clothes out the door and straight into Ezio's face. Closing the door behind her, Vanessa found something to occupy her time while waiting for her clothes.

* * *

Daniel coughed hoarsely, dirt flew out everywhere. A carriage had just passed by headed in the same direction as himself.

As if it wasn't strange enough to see a carriage, Daniel caught sight of brick houses with thatch roofs, some with tiles, though most of those tiles were missing and the holes boarded up with rotten wood.

He had decided to try and walk to the nearest sign of life, however, most homes he passed were actually condemned, or should be condemned, and couldn't spot a soul in sight.

Except for that carriage that rudely galloped right passed him.

This was... all too much. Thatch homes, horses, carriages, wagons, and not a single sign of civilization anywhere. Other than the thatch houses, but, of course, that wasn't exactly _civilization_; Daniel needed a city, a town, even some small town hiding in woods. It didn't matter, anything was better than _nothing_.

He saw some people, but most regarded him with a cautious look and walking away, like he was going to mug them.

Aside from the lack of technology, the obvious farmland that didn't exist in Atlanta, and the scared civilians; everything was... normal. It was still people working for food and old homes.

What caught his attention and, inadvertently, caused him to pause and double take, was a man wearing full body armor. Not Kevlar or military uniforms, but actual straight out of a bedtime story, shining armor.

The cuirass had a red cross decorating it and on his hip a sword was buckled in tightly. Daniel knew he wasn't in Atlanta anymore, so jurisdiction was out of the question, though this sight threw him off guard.

And it wasn't until Daniel noticed he was staring, did the guard realize his stunned appearance.

Or his strange clothing.

Once the silver helmet turned to pointedly look at Daniel, did he finally turn away and begin walking. A knight? A British knight? Or... some other kind Daniel didn't know of?

He didn't want to find out, something told him that hanging around a heavily armed man wearing armor like that wasn't a very good idea. Especially when you don't know where _here_ is.

Though, believing this was surely not Atlanta anymore, Daniel wouldn't lie and say the scenery wasn't, well, beautiful. Large, nurtured trees, rolling hills of strong green grass, even a few local people wearing old cotton clothing. It wasn't hard to think _Amish_ upon seeing wagons riding past, seeing how the people here work and continue on daily chores.

It wasn't normal city life to say the least. Too simple, too... perfect.

Daniel was smiling, unconfident but pleasantly surprised by the locals.

It wasn't until that red cross guard saw him that he knew walking around in his current attire attracted unwanted attention. Daniel felt more and more uncomfortable as the guard began following him from a safe distance.

After a few minutes of following Daniel around, the guardsman decided to speak up.

"You there, stop!" Daniel wasn't about to piss off the man donning armor and a sword. He seemed the authority around these parts, might as well... "Yes sir?" He stopped, turning around to see the suspicious guard.

He took a closer look over Daniel's attire. "Where are you from?"

Daniel could play this, as long as the guard thought he was a foreigner, then they'd have to leave him alone... Right? "I'm from America." He stated blandly, everyone knew the USA, no matter what third world country they were in.

The look on the guards face didn't give Daniel the usual professional feel he'd get when dealing with local authority figures. Instead, it was just the opposite.

He gripped the hilt of his sword and Daniel gulped; this isn't good. Why was this guard so... mad about him being from another country?

It didn't matter, all that did though was the defensive guard ahead unsheathing his sword.

_Uh oh_, Daniel stepped back. This wasn't going to end well.

Ditching the guard, Daniel mustered all his strength into running. Standing up to a guard with a sword and armor as think as he was would be insanity.

Thankfully, the armor slowed him and Daniel was home free. If it could be even called home free.

He ran passed a list of horses, carts, and people. It wasn't until Daniel couldn't see the armored man anymore that he actually stopped to catch his breath. Panting, Daniel kept checking for the guardsman.

Still clear.

Looking around, Daniel saw a wagon going by and jumped onto the back of it; the driver didn't seem bothered. It was customary for people to hitch rides on old wagons moving from city to city.

At least, the poor did and Daniel had not money with him; that counted.

Watching for the guard like he would suddenly appear, Daniel tried to remember how he could've gotten here.

He was looking through that book of Vanessa's. The one he had took from her the night she bought it; teasing her with his superior height, Daniel had left after returning it to her.

She disappeared after that.

Without cameras in the locker room, it was all mystery.

I was all theory wrapped in a superstition by now. Missing person flyers went out all over until her family had surrendered, giving up hope to chase after a woman who disappeared without a word or lead.

Daniel wouldn't lie to himself, he knew that after a few weeks, finding a missing person would be like discovering faeries were real. It was impossible and only stories made it to people; those people who lost relatives to these dark tales.

Sighing, Daniel leaned back on the near empty wagon of hay. It had been a long day so far. He wasn't built to take this kind of excitement; he preferred the assurance that, as a police officer, what he was doing was protected by law.

This was far from Daniel's idea of a vacation.

He noticed something in the distance, the shape of a walled off city came into view. This was strange as Daniel couldn't remember the last time he saw such a...

_Wait_.

The wagon came to a stop, "This is our stop, boy." The man said, climbing down from the wagon and left to do business. Daniel would've thanked the man if he wasn't staring dumbstruck at a massive stone walled city in front of him.

Leaving the wagon, he entered the city, all the while staring at buildings Daniel failed to realize the strange looking folk who stared back at him and his very weird clothing.

After a short walk, Daniel fell into a great crowd of people. They were all rushing to one place or another, ignoring the shoving of others as they went about their work or shopping.

He didn't care, it was all the same to him. He could feel people pushing passed him, shifting him from side to side, causing him to step back, forward, and side to side repeatedly.

This state of disbelief didn't help the person staring at him wide-eyed.

Blinking, the man squinted to get a better look. Through the crowd it was hard to see if he actually recognized the dark blue clothing or the strange height of Daniel.

Seeing the same style and pattern, the skin tone of this man was different, paler, but he still wore the same thing cut and tailored for his size and build. Taking a deep breath, he began to make a bee line for the strange man in the middle of this rushing crowd. It would take more force than usual, but he could do it.

He was unaware of his surroundings anymore, only trying to figure out what had happened for him to end up here and now.

It wasn't until he felt a tug on his arm did he snap out of his stupor.

"Pardon me, sir." The man released his arm, "Are you looking for someone?" He stated almost knowingly. Daniel blinked, the man wore... tights? And carried what appeared to be various measuring tools.

"I'm just... lost, I guess." Daniel wouldn't give personal information to a stranger. Especially one who just popped out of this weird third-world city.

"Come, follow me." He gestured Daniel to walk with him. "We can get out of this crowd and speak properly."

Daniel gulped, he was in another country, that was for certain, but where was he? Who was this strangely clothed man? What the _hell_ was this place?

Giving a loud sigh, Daniel was lost and this man was offering some help... or perhaps he only wanted to steal his wallet. Daniel didn't know and right now, his wallet was the least of his worries.

Shrugging it off, Daniel followed the brightly clothed man out of the extremely busy streets and into a nearby alley. A few people passed by, but it wasn't nearly as bad as being shoved and pushed aside frequently. Daniel stepped near to the wall, allowing passage for other people.

The man who pulled him into the alley smiled brightly, looking over Daniel's attire until he chuckled in amusement.

Confused, Daniel began wondering if he just followed a crazy person into a busy alley; no matter, Daniel was trained to deal with the worst, he could deal with a mentally unstable tight-wearing man.

"Forgive me, I am Leonardo da Vinci." The man bowed politely. Not a common introduction, very... unique, but it wasn't the greeting Daniel was interested in...

_Oh yeah,_ Daniel stared forward expectantly. _This guy is insane._

"Da Vinci? As in _the_ Leonardo da Vinci?" Daniel saw the man smile and nod, as if it was no big deal. "Ah, yeah... I just remembered I have... stuff to do. Bye now."

Turning to leave, Daniel continued down the alleyway. He wasn't about to run back into the busy town square.

"No, wait!" The unstable man caught up with Daniel, urging him to stop. "Do you even know where you are? You can't find someone when you can't even find yourself." He laughed, coming up beside Daniel.

"I can find my way around just fine..."

Then it hit Daniel like a bag of bricks. To the face.

"How did you know I was looking for someone?" He faced the man quickly. Who was this odd person? How did he know about Daniel? Why did he pick a cop out of a crowd of people?

What the _hell_ was going on here?

"You are wearing the same clothes as someone else I know." Leonardo defended, sensing the sudden change from the foreign man. It was threatening, this wasn't a topic he spoke of lightly, apparently. "She has been searching for a way to return home, from what I have been told, she has not found it yet."

"She? She who?" He didn't want to let his hopes get up; this was a goose chase. Vanessa? Here? No, she would've found some way... done something to attract attention. She was smart, if the only thing that had happened was being dragged off to some far away country, Vanessa would find her way back easily.

"She says she is a guardswoman." Leonardo was still trying to grasp the idea. No woman fought, they were either a courtesan or a nun. Or married and Leonardo may not know Vanessa very well, but he got the sense that she wouldn't marry for a long time. "Her name is Vanessa, she was here just the other day."

Jumping forward, Daniel took hold of the man's upper arms. "Vanessa? She's here? Where!"

Being shaken wasn't a pleasant experience. Leonardo regained his ground and shrugged off Daniel's hands. "She left with my friend, Ezio, back to his villa. It is a short ride from here, just outside the gates there is a road that will lead you straight there."

"Can you show me the way?" Daniel glanced around him, he was certain he'd never find his way around. "You're right, I don't know where I am or even how I got here; now that Vanessa's here, I have to find her."

"I can take you beyond the gates, but I cannot take you there. I have work to attend to here for the night, however, if you stay until the morning I will accompany you to the Villa Auditore." Leonardo grinned lightly, the foreign man looked determined, as if Leonardo had just given him a long lost treasure.

"I think that'd be best..." Daniel weighed the chances of him even finding his way to this villa place without getting lost. It wasn't good. Without knowing his surroundings, he couldn't hope to ride hours to a place he's never been or seen when he's lost already.

"Then follow me, I will take you to my home." Leonardo was offering, if the man had prior plans, he wouldn't force the issue.

Nodding, Leonardo happily led Daniel out of the alley and back into the streets. This time, they stayed close to the walls, out of the rushing crowds and the busy merchants.

He was experienced with the busy streets; Leonardo could make his way through like they weren't even there. Unfortunately, Daniel wasn't anywhere near Leonardo's comfort level with the noise and the people; Atlanta was busy, but it wasn't _this_ bad.

People crowded by stores, buying up the entire inventory before moving onto another merchant. The noise mostly came from the merchants and customers haggling prices, lower, higher, or perfectly in between.

Daniel had never seen so much chaos in such a little town before. People wore rags upon rags, carrying multiple baskets. Even a few beasts of burden trotted by with the customers and some merchants.

These were all locals, each one rushing away from the crowds and back to their homes, clawing the supplies they've bought as if it'd be stolen right from their hands.

At a few points, Daniel nearly stumbled over when they passed through merchant crowds. Every now and then, Daniel would force his way through, trying his hardest not to actually hurt anyone, before grasping for Leonardo's sleeve. Daniel was a little weary of the city; it was like he was walking on slippery rocks, holding onto a thin branch for support, while trying not to fall into a raging river.

It wasn't truly life threatening, but it was dangerous if he became caught in the crowd. People were killed frequently by rushing crowds or riots. Trampled or fell over, knocking themselves on a rock or equally hard object does kill.

Shivering, Leonardo stopped and ducked into a cut out of a building. Inside the small space was a door Leonardo opened up and led Daniel inside, making sure it was secure before welcoming the foreign man into his home.

"Ah, here we are." He smiled, joining Daniel. "My workshop."

Daniel realized he must look like a deer in the headlights, but this place was fantastic. It was covered from top to bottom with paintings, drawings, studies of material, items, anatomy of people and animals, as well as a few unfinished inventions.

A large wooden bat-like structure hung from the ceiling. It was unfinished, only parts of it were up; it was more like a skeleton without skin or meat.

Blinking a few times, Daniel returned to Leonardo. "You can't be the Leonardo da Vinci."

A little taken back, Leonardo merely chuckled and rubbed his hands together. "And why not?"

"Leonardo lived... four, five hundred years ago? I don't know the actual dates, but... He's been dead for over a hundred years." Daniel furrowed his brow, "We learn about him in _history_ class."

"Well, as you can see I am both here and very much alive." Leonardo approached his guest. "Vanessa knew where she was by the time she arrived here; I can see you do not..." It was more of thinking aloud, but Leonardo decided to educate Vanessa's friend.

"You are in Firenze, Italy." Leonardo took it easy, trying not to alarm the foreigner. "It is fourteen-seventy eight and you are in my workshop and I _am_ Leonardo da Vinci." He was trying to ease Daniel into the idea, not throw it all at him at once. Leonardo couldn't find an easier way to say he was in another time; the past.

"What." Daniel felt his train of thought shatter as Leonardo spoke to him.

"Vanessa had already discovered this by the time she reached me, as I said; it seemed you did not know." Leonardo cautiously stepped to the distraught officer. "She tried to find a way back, to your time, and failed. I do not know if she has been trying to find other ways, but she is currently content that she is the past. She did not act like it bothered her much..."

Leonardo may not have talked with her long, but she moved on just fine. She was rare find, a tough woman, she'd survive. Especially with Ezio and Leonardo both as close friends; they were both heavily influential people in their home.

"The past?" Daniel ran a hand through his hair, "She knew this? Did she tell you she knew?"

"Yes, she even convinced me she was not of my time." Leonardo looked back; honestly, she could've just known someone that knew his family... It wasn't very much proof she offered to both him and Ezio.

"I can't believe this..." He felt on the verge of breaking something valuable and collapsing. "I'm sorry, I just- It can't be. Time travel is _impossible_. It's not a lake you cross or city you walk through; it's _time_. It starts and ends. How can I say I believe you when people have studied it for years and came up with nothing."

"I would not know how to show you." Leonardo admitted. "Yet I can prove I know Vanessa."

"You have something of hers?" Daniel calmed down, only a little. He was bothered by Leonardo's claim of the past, but knowing Vanessa... His search could end here and they could go home. Her family wouldn't have to worry, he could breathe again, and he's sure she wanted to go home too.

"No... not like that." Leonardo remembered when he helped her, bandaging her old injuries.

Waving Daniel along, Leonardo pulled up another chair and sat down in front of the fire place. He had been out all day, he was a little tired and keeping a guest standing around awkwardly wasn't a sign of a good host.

Accepting the seat, Daniel was relieved to sit down and rest his legs. If dodging people and sword-bearing guards wasn't enough, Daniel could _feel_ the blood in his veins rushing down his legs again. With a tired sigh, Daniel relaxed into the chair.

"She first arrived with a friend of mine, as I told you before. His name is Ezio Auditore and his family owns the villa Vanessa is now." Leonardo began, "The second time she came here she was over Ezio's shoulders, she had been injured."

Daniel perked up instantly. Staring intently at Leonardo, Daniel was waiting for him to say she was attacked. How else was she injured?

"When she allowed me to help her, she told me that she was guardswoman where she is from and that she was hurt whilst doing her duty." Daniel inwardly cursed._ Why doesn't she ever tell me when she gets hurt?_ It was true though, Vanessa never said a word when she was shot or attacked. She just didn't. "She said she had been shot in the chest, yet a... vest?..." Leonardo sought confirmation from Daniel.

With a nod, Leonardo continued. "This vest... chelven? Kavlen?" He didn't remember, why couldn't he remember? He had been thinking about such a thing all day and only when he _needed_ to remember, he forgot.

"Kevlar." Daniel answered, almost too quietly to hear.

"That's right." Leonardo scoffed at himself. Such a simple word yet he couldn't for the life of him remember it. "She said it saved her, yet she was still hurt. I bound the injuries to speed their healing and after that she told me about her home and her time."

_Stories Ness?_ Daniel smirked, "Of course; she's a open book. She never was good at keeping secrets or actually stop herself talking."

"She did seem to enjoy talking then most people I know." Leonardo chuckled, "She is a nice woman. Are you related?" He wouldn't say it, but the drastic difference in Vanessa's skin and the man sitting in front of him were almost opposites. She had a redder skin tone and he was significantly paler.

"Relatives? No way." Daniel gestured to his skin tone, "We've been together for a few years and we're both in the same profession. Seems we have a lot in common." He joked, Vanessa barely had _anything_ in common with another person. She was a very straight forward person, ready to demand what she wanted or put someone in their place. People tended not to like that very much.

"Ah! So you are together?" Leonardo looked overjoyed, "Have you been wedded yet or are you waiting until the marriage is arranged?"

Daniel would've choked had he anything to choke on. He felt the air escape his lungs and Daniel coughed awkwardly. "O-Oh no! No! Not like- like that! Oh God no." He panted, catching his breath. "I'm not even... that's not...-"

"I must have misunderstood then." Leonardo calmed the flustered man, "I apologize, it seems certain words have different meanings to us."

"Yeah..." Daniel took a moment to think about it. He and Vanessa had been together, as friends, for a long time. She'd always be there when he needed her and he made sure when she needed help he'd be the one right beside her. He'd been given many opportunities before, she'd always find herself in one form of trouble or another.

Daniel wasn't that way, it was easier for him as he took many precautions. He was the person to make sure he'd buy a nice place in a place with low crime rates, the local area had to be cleaner, but Vanessa... She was trouble magnet, without failure she'd find herself in another bad situation. She'd been shot, mugged, beaten, and generally just attacked.

She was strong enough to face truth when most people coward away, but Daniel always thought her risk taking would end her up in a hospital someday. It almost did a few times when she was mugged, yet the only time he ever felt truly afraid for her was when he got a call from her mother saying Vanessa was shot and was in emergency care.

SWAT wasn't a place for her, she knew it beforehand and she still tried. She was sent to schools to be a lawyer or a doctor, but that wasn't for her. She was a full force thrill seeker; she loved everything that felt like danger. It was no shock that she wanted to travel the world and find new ways to fill her desire for adrenalin.

Daniel looked aside, this man, supposedly Leonardo da Vinci was offering a complete stranger escort to Vanessa, his closest friend. With a thankful smile, Daniel realized he hadn't even told this man his name yet.

"Oh, thanks for... this. Everything." Daniel smiled, "I'm Daniel by the way."

Leonardo saw the deep thought Daniel had fallen into a remained quiet. It was a lot to take in and even Leonardo didn't know quite what to think of it all. The time, the places, the people; things were different and Vanessa acted different. It was enough for Leonardo to start believing her anyways.

"If you will excuse me, I have some work I must finish by tomorrow." Leonardo stood, "Come, I will show you where you can sleep tonight."

Daniel rose quickly, "Oh, thanks. I didn't know that's what you meant... I could just find somewhere else, I'm sure there's an inn around here some place."

"It is no trouble, I assure you."

Reluctantly, and happily, Daniel followed Leonardo into the backrooms where the bedroom and guest room were kept. He was thankful he had a place and that Leonardo was offering to take him to Vanessa; such surprising compassion from a stranger. No one would ever do such a thing back home.

Smiling, Daniel was led to a guest room where he readied himself for bed. It was a long day and he had a lot to think about. Tired and excited all at once, Daniel fell asleep hoping that Vanessa was here and he'd see her again soon.

* * *

**Review Replies!:**

**BlackLotus30:  
**_Oh yeah, he's in Italy and soon to be reunited. He'll probably freak out once she confirms his suspicions about time traveling. :)  
Sorry it's taken me so long to update, I had massive writers block on this story and with my strong desire to play Assassins Creed: Brotherhood, I felt a little insecure about writing. I still need to play it too..._

_Yeah, I always thought the "Train him/her to be assassin 'cuz who da' fuck cares." is a poor excuse to include a character into the AC universe. So, instead, I felt better giving her an actual job. Probably somewhere in the Villa Auditore._

**crystalfeathers:  
**_He was actually transported just outside of Florence. As you could tell in this chapter! YAY UPDATES! :D_

_Er, yeah. The book takes an interesting twist here next chapter... NOT SPOILING ANYTHING! Just wait, it'll come! :D_

_As yes, apparently I have painted my two cop characters as drug addicts. NOT SURE HOW. xD_

**_flyingcrispi:  
_**_Nah, he'll start off in Florence (as we've seen) and work his way to Monteriggioni. Which I still can't pronounce..._

_Yeah, I always thought Claudia was a child at the beginning of the game. Whining, complaining, crying about actually doing real work. As time goes on it seems she adjusts just fine and becomes more mature. Oh well, that'll be dealt with later on in the story! But you don't have to worry about me painting her as an annoying little sister and leaving it at that. She'll be detailed as time goes on, Vanessa will do some bonding with her too! :D_

_Ah yes, thank you for voting! OMFG. Make a request in this story and I SHALL DELIVER IT TO YOU. With credit dedicated to you. :)  
Any request, a scene, a person, perhaps even a character cameo? Something, anything, and I will make it happen! :D_

**_HikariNoTenshi-San:  
_**_...ihavenoideawhatyournamemeans._

_ANYWAYS._

_Yes, Daniel will be reunited with Vanessa real soon; also, the journal of Borgia takes an interesting twist as well! :D_

**_Dragon260:  
_**_Yeah, although Ezio is there AND the most adorable man on Earth (Leonardo) I still think Vanessa's pretty much alone. No one will ever understand her properly, she'll be an outcast in Monteriggioni and always will be. That's just the honest to God truth._

_So, in order to right this (and to add plot!) Daniel has appeared bearing a very... interesting gift. ;)_

**_Krjs:  
_**_I know, I know, a story about a modern-era-based-person-thing-thisjustgoesonandon has been done PLENTY of times before, but I wanted to show readers that no matter how many times the same story has been done, it can STILL be original if you work at it. Vanessa's character isn't a basic "gal walks into the past! OH $&%! AANNNNNNDDD suddenly becomes and assassin and is a natural and romances the womanizer JUST CUZ"_

_Nah, Vanessa will be the opposite. She'll never look twice at Ezio, she has enough to worry about! Ezio, noticing her unique appearance and foreign cleanliness will try and *ahem* make a meal of her. In bed. If you catch my drift. :D_

_However, Vanessa's also a woman used to gender and race being played equally (kinda') and won't give into romantic advanced just because "it's Ezio! *FANGIRL SWOON*  
She still thinks he's a normal guy... who just so happens to be an assassin and one of the only ways she can survive in the fifteenth century. It'll be funny, sad, difficult, and mixed in with a bit of adventure! :D_


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